Newlands School, Dubai

Newlands School Dubai opened its doors to the public in 2017. It is a part of Beaconhouse Group — a Pakistani international network of schools. The school is nestled between Primus Private School and the Sharjah American International School in Al Warqaa.

Initially, Newlands started as a primary school. Today, it offers education till Year 11. The school has plans to expand till Year 13 following the British curriculum. The school was launched to offer quality education without compromising on the UAE’s values at an affordable price.

Newlands School ensures personalised education for students. Foundation Stage classes are capped at 25 students per class while they cap the primary section at 26 students per class. Also, Newlands is an inclusive entity; therefore, students of determination are welcomed to join the school.

The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) inspected the school for the first time in 2021-2022 and rated it acceptable. However, the school aims to become one of the best British schools in Dubai with time.

Continue reading the Newlands School Dubai review by Bayut to learn more about the school.

• Location: Al Warqaa
• School fees: AED 19,200 - AED 31,800
• Curriculum: British
• Co-ed or segregate: Co-ed
• KHDA rating: Acceptable
• Years offered: FS 1 - Year 11

Located in Al Warqaa, the school attracts families from nearby residential communities, such as:

• Nad Al Hamar
• Mirdif
• International City

Approximately a 12-minute drive from the campus, the nearest family-friendly residential community is. It is a 12-minute drive from the campus and away from big skyscrapers while offering a mix of beautiful villas and apartments.

If you are willing to relocate to an area near the school, please have a look at:

• Apartments for rent near Newlands School Dubai
• Villas for rent near Newlands School Dubai
• Villas for sale near Newlands School Dubai

Newlands School Dubai has a spacious campus for students to work independently or in groups. Mindful of students of determination, the school designed the building to help students with physical disabilities. Besides this, it has a purpose-built design with additional outdoor parking for cars and buses.

There are 42 classrooms equipped with interactive whiteboards, multimedia and a comfortable seating arrangement. The Foundation Stage (FS) and the primary section until Year 3 are on the ground floor. Both sections have access to the FS outdoor play area. An activity room is also linked directly to the classes.

Classrooms for Year 4 and above are based on the first floor. There are rooms dedicated to music, media and specialist arts. You will find four labs, out of which three are specialist labs for Physics, Chemistry and Biology. There is a general lab for primary children. Besides these, there is a specialist room for computing, coding and ICT. The school also has a library/library centre and a staff development/training centre to support students’ and teachers’ needs.

Besides these, you will find six offices and two staff rooms. The school has built a special needs base and resource centre for students of determination.

Students have access to a catering facility, a clinic and separate prayer rooms for boys and girls. When it comes to sports facilities, one can find a 10 x 20 metres swimming pool with changing rooms, a football pitch, a cricket net and outdoor areas where space for FS and primary students is marked separately. Children can engage in various sporting activities in the multi-purpose sports hall located indoors.

Newlands School Dubai’s location is in the heart of Al Warqaa 1. The school is situated just off the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (E311) and surrounded by residential buildings, schools and eateries.

Among the many reasons that encourage parents to trust this school is that Newlands School is a project of the Beaconhouse Group. It is one of the world’s largest private school networks. Beaconhouse’s network has roots in South Asia, Southeast Asia, the UK and the Middle East.

Newlands School Al Warqaa, Dubai, provides innovative research tools, outstanding campus facilities and an international curriculum at affordable prices. Also, the class size is kept small, so teachers get to know students in a friendly manner and cater to their needs in time.

The school will offer an all-through education until Sixth Form by 2023. This means your child can receive a quality education from one school easily.

Also, the school has made it to the top schools in Al Warqaa.

Following the British curriculum, years offered at Newlands School include:

Newlands School follows the British curriculum with the Ministry of Education curriculum for Arabic Studies, Islamic Education and Social Studies. Consequently, the school provides an international curriculum relevant to all communities living in Dubai.

The overall curriculum structure enables students to work on their creativity, critical thinking, independent research work, projects and problem-solving.

Read below to learn more about the curriculum for each phase of education at Newlands School Dubai.

Foundation Stage

Foundation Stage curriculum focuses on bringing children out of their cocoons. Since this is the first stage of the academic journey, the school encourages children to discover the surrounding environment on their own with little help from teachers.

Knowledge about themselves and those around them is a significant part of little ones’ learning at Newlands School. Therefore, the two years of Foundation Stage focus on the following seven key learning mentioned below.

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development
• Communication
• Problem Solving
• Reasoning and Numeracy
• Knowledge and Understanding of the World
• Physical Development
• Creative Development

Key Stage 1 (KS1) and Key Stage 2 (KS2)

Since students are mature now compared to the FS phase, the school expects them to develop a deeper understanding of the subjects.

Newlands School Dubai curriculum encourages children to learn life skills, such as how to live a healthy life, be safe, accept responsibility, care for others, and more.

Arabic Studies is a compulsory subject in primary and secondary sections and is taught by a subject-specialist teacher. Cross-curricular modules and subject themes represent a significant chunk of the primary curriculum. These modules discuss the political and social aspects and economics of Dubai. Access to various clubs, societies and extra-curricular activities provides students with the opportunity to widen their learning and knowledge base.

Key Stage 3 (KS3)

The secondary stage covers Key Stage 3 until the Sixth Form phase. During this level, Newlands encourages students to utilise campus facilities to better understand the subjects being taught. Teachers are recommended to teach students about global issues, innovation and technological developments, business management, science and technology and economics.

Using assessments and group activities ensures students implement their classroom learnings in the real world.

Key Stage 4

At the end of Key Stage 4, students appear in the International General Certificate of Secondary Examinations (IGCSEs). Hence, subjects are taught by specialist teachers. Students are expected to select three core courses, including English Language, Science and one Humanities subject (History or Geography). They can choose four supplementary subjects to go with core subjects.

Key Stage 5 or Sixth Form

Newlands secondary school allows students to appear for Advanced Subsidiary (AS), Advanced (A) Levels and BTEC examinations. High involvement of teachers and parents is expected during this level as students are most likely to choose subjects that interest them the most or they want to pursue them as a future career.

The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) is a government agency that supervises private schools in Dubai. The agency evaluates private schools based on their leadership, curriculum, teaching methods and strategies, teachers’ qualification, campus facilities, students’ performances, and workplace inclusion policies.

All schools are rated on a six-point scale. The image below describes the ratings awarded to schools.

Newlands School’s KHDA rating is acceptable for the academic year 2021 – 2022. The positive aspects highlighted in the inspection are.

• Students progress in several subjects across all year groups.
• Students’ personal and social development, including their attitudes and behaviour.
• The use of assessment to influence learning and the curriculum, and effective health, safety and child protection procedures.
• The leadership of the principal and vice-principal who oversee well-focused self-evaluation, and ensure supportive, impactful partnerships with parents.

However, there are areas where Newlands School can put more effort in, such as:

• Improve rates of students’ progress and raise their attainment in all subjects and phases.
• Ensure that the governing board includes representation from all stakeholders, and that the premises and resources effectively support curriculum implementation and effective teaching and learning.

Following the British system, Newlands School’s academic calendar is 10 months long and has three terms.

Being an inclusive school, Newlands, Al Warqaa 1 welcomes students from all backgrounds. The school encourages parents to visit the school, see the facilities and interact with the school team before submitting an admission application. You can book a tour by contacting the admissions team on the contact details mentioned at the end of this guide.

Newlands School Dubai’s admission process starts with filling out the online application form. After applying, you need to submit an application fee of AED 500 along and the following documents.

• One copy of Student and Parents’ current and valid passport
• One copy of Student and Parents’ current and valid UAE residency visa
• One copy of Student’s birth certificate (in English or Arabic only)
• One copy of Student’s previous two (2) year’s school/nursery reports (in English only)
• Passport photographs of the Student
• Copy of Student’s immunization records
• Address Proof- Dewa/ Tenancy contract
• Transfer/Leaving Certificate, signed, stamped, and attested by all necessary bodies.
• Registration of child’s enrolment with KHDA: on confirmation of enrolment by the School, it is mandatory to register the child with the KHDA within the timelines defined by the School, by swiping the Emirates IDs of the student and one parent in the electronic machines available in the School

After completing the registration, Newlands School will invite your child to sit an entrance exam.

The assessment allows the school to gauge applicants’ reading, writing, mathematical and socialising skills. Please note that the entrance exam is held in a caring environment where your child can interact with a small group of kids of the same age. Meanwhile, parents can book a school tour to engage with the school staff and share any concerns and feedback that they may have.

The result will be announced after three days of the assessment. Students clearing the entrance test will receive admission offer. You can pay 10% of the annual tuition fee within the deadline to secure the seat for your child. If parents cannot do so, Newlands has the authority to offer the place to another student.

Please ensure that you submit the Transfer Certificate (TC) and health certificate when you make the registration payment.

For more information regarding TC, click the link provided above in this section.

Nevertheless, parents must ensure that their child meets the following age criteria before initiating the admission process.

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)

Here is the KHDA-approved Newlands School Dubai’s fee schedule for the current year.

The other charges are based on the info available in KHDA’s fee fact sheet.

Newlands School Al Warqaa also charges for the following.

• A non-refundable and non-transferable application fee of AED 500
• A non-refundable and non-transferable admission fee of 10% of the annual tuition fee will be adjusted against the first term’s tuition fees

Please ensure that the payment must be made before the start of the academic year or before the start of each term if you are paying in instalments. Otherwise, Newlands School, Al Warqaa 1, reserves the right to cancel the admission of your child.

You can pay Newlands School Dubai fees via cash, cheque, card or bank transfer.

Currently, the school does not offer scholarships to its students. However, in its opening year, Newlands, Dubai offered 100% financial support to 5 Emirati female students enrolled in Year 1 to Year 6.

The scholarship was only available to students who were granted admissions after fulfilling the assessment criteria. The Scholarship Committee selected the five most deserving candidates.

The reason behind introducing this scholarship in the first year was to promote achievement and attainment within the Emirati community.

Newlands, Al Warqaa campus has a kitchen and catering facilities. Students can either use the school catering service or bring lunch from home. However, the school encourages parents to provide healthy, nutritious and fulfilling meals for their children.

Newlands School provides a transport facility for students. Currently, 10 buses are operating under the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) guidelines. Although each bus can board 25 children, Newlands, Al Warqaa only allows 21 students per bus to make the commute more comfortable and safe. 

Here are the bus routes and their charges.

As for sports facilities, students can find a 10 x 20-metre swimming pool, a football pitch, an indoor multi-purpose sports hall and outdoor play area for FS and primary section.

Newlands School designs extracurricular activities keeping in mind that children need engaging challenges for mental, physical and emotional growth. Hence, clubs, societies and extracurricular programs are provided by the school.

Students can participate in Debating Society, Drama, Choir, Chess Club, Sports and Dance. The school arranges the aforementioned activities each term during lunch breaks and after regular school hours.

Children can explore entertainment and culturally rich sites available in the UAE through field trips that the school arranges.

A few clubs, societies or extracurricular activities arranged by the school are offered after school hours.

Newlands School Dubai has a medical centre managed by a doctor and a nurse. The clinic is equipped with first-aid and other essential facilities.

Newlands School recommends parents of students with medical conditions to provide an updated medical record of the child. This helps the school clinic keep a record of the treatment and medicine that these students require.

Newlands School believes that parents’ involvement is imperative in a child’s academic life. Also, students must continue their learning or lessons at home.

Keeping that in mind, the school has designed various ways for parents to communicate with teachers and other staff members. Each term, a parent-teacher meeting is held to discuss the performance of the students and how parents can maintain or improve their children’s performance.

Besides, parents, guardians and sponsors can create an account on the parent portal. You can view your child’s performance, attendance, extra-curricular activities, school timings, school events, policies, academic calendar and more.

You can also join WhatsApp groups maintained by the class teacher to receive instant notifications on changes in school events and policies

Parents who prefer the more conventional methods can use the Newlands School Dubai contact details mentioned below to get in touch with the school. You can also use social media pages to establish contact.

• Telephone Number: +971-4-282-1200
• Emails
  • Admission Enquiries: admissions@newlandsschool.ae
• Official Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• YouTube
• LinkedIn

Note that the cover image belongs to Newlands School, Dubai

What are the timings of your school?

The timings are not mentioned on the website but the school operates Monday through Friday.

Do you conduct after-school activities?

Majority of the extracurricular activities are conducted after school hours.

How many grades/years are there in your school?

Newlands School Dubai offers education from Foundation Stage 1 until Year 11.

How many students are currently studying in your school?

Currently, Newlands has around 737 students.

Can you please describe the academic calendar of your school?

The academic calendar starts in the last week of August and ends in the first week of July.

Can you please mention the range of the tuition fee charged by your school?

The annual tuition fee ranges from AED 19,200 to AED 31,800.

How do you communicate with parents?

The school communicates with parents via parent-teacher meetings, parent portal and grade-specific WhatsApp group.

Do you have a cafeteria or a canteen on campus?

The school campus includes a kitchen as well as catering facilities.

How often does your school arrange field trips?

The school takes students on educational and recreation field trips throughout the academic year.

How many teachers are currently teaching in your school?

The teaching staff consists of 70 teachers and 28 assistant teachers.