The Philippine Global School, Abu Dhabi

The Philippine Global School in Abu Dhabi was established in 2015 to cater to the Filipino expat population in the capital city and ensure that children understand their culture and heritage. The all-through school offers classes from KG-1 to Grade 10 in a co-educational setup based on the Philippines curriculum. It is important to note that more than 1,800 students joined the school during its first year of operation.

TPGS with the carrier banner, “Leader in Academic Excellence and Values Formation,” has almost 1,300 students, 75 teachers and five teaching assistants. Presently, the teacher to student ratio is 1:17 and 1% of students are identified as kids with SEN – Special Education Needs. Primary classes have the most number of students. Those graduating from TPGS have successfully secured admissions in prestigious colleges and universities in The Philippines. The Department of Education Philippines accredits the school.

Families settled in the residential communities listed below can consider Philippines Global School if they are looking for a Philippine curriculum school.

• Al Mushrif
• Al Bateen
• Al Nahyan
• Al Khalidiya

Al Mushrif is the nearest residential area centrally located between Al Khaleej Al Arabi Street and Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Street. One can find rental villas and apartments in the neighbourhood. Plus, all urban amenities are within easy reach.

Al Khalidiya is a larger bustling district in the capital city known for its cafes, restaurants, shopping attractions, residential apartment buildings as well as proximity to the beach.

Al Bateen is another renowned residential area in Abu Dhabi that is home to Bateen Park and Al Bateen Beach. Besides spacious properties, one can find famous cafes and eateries in the surroundings.

Named after the ruling family of the UAE, Al Nahyan is another city-centric neighbourhood. It is preferred for rental apartments, but one can also find villas for rent in the district.

Those interested in living closer to the TPGS campus can consider:

• Apartments for rent near The Philippine Global School
• Villas for rent near The Philippine Global School

The Philippine Global School has all the necessary facilities for effective learning. It has an art room, a music room, a large auditorium, a drama room and a talent room. Students will also find a well-stocked library and a science laboratory.

The Philippine Global School campus is located in Hadbat Al Zafranah on Al Amadeyyah Street. The nearest landmark is Khalifa University and the Traffic and Patrol Directorate. Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Street (E10) is the nearest road that connects the school to other parts of the city.

The Philippine Global School pays special attention to its core values that include:

• Respect
• Self-Discipline
• Nationalism
• Recognition of religion and culture diversity

The Philippine Global School Abu Dhabi instils the love for the home country. Students are made well-aware of the Emirati culture and heritage as well as Filipino values. The morning school assembly includes singing of both the UAE and the Philippines national anthems. TPGS acknowledges and respects religious and cultural diversity and welcomes students from all backgrounds.

What sets the school apart is that it is a God-centered learning institute. Students are encouraged to strive for excellence in academics, physical, social and spiritual aspects. Teachers inculcate basic skills to help students face 21st-century challenges.

Besides offering affordable, quality education to Filipino expats in Abu Dhabi, the goal of TPGS is to train students to become competent learners and future leaders. Philippine School aims to strengthen My National Identity Program that creates links between the UAE culture and the school’s classrooms and premises. It runs a Moral Educational Program to build students’ character.

The school offers classes from KG-1 to Grade 10. All classes are divided into five sections.

The school follows the Philippine curriculum. Primary students study the following subjects:

• Communication Arts (English and Filipino)
• Mathematics
• Information and Computer Technology (ICT)
• Science
• Elective Areas: Reading/Writing
• Civics/Social Studies
• Arabic Language
• Home Economics and Livelihood Education (HELE)
• Music, Arts and Physical Education (MAPE)
• Character Education (CE)
• Islamic Culture/Studies (For Islamic Students)

Subjects in the Junior High School section are:

• Communication Arts (English and Filipino)
• Mathematics
• Science
• Civics/Social Studies
• Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE)
• Information and Computer Technology (ICT)
• Music, Arts, Physical Education and Health (MAPEH)
• Values Education (VE)
• Arabic Language
• Islamic Culture/Studies (For Islamic Students)

Starting from Grade 7, students can opt for elective subjects that include:

• For Grade 7: Basic Mathematics
• For Grade 8: Business Mathematics
• For Grade 9: Research 1 (Introduction to Research) and Trigonometry
• For Grade 10: Research 2 (Experimental Research), Calculus and Statistics

The Arabic language is included in the curriculum from Grade 1 to Grade 10. Muslim students must study Islamic Culture and Islamic Studies as it is compulsory.

The grading system is cumulative and consists of:

• 70% previous grading period
• 30% current grading period

Students have to obtain at least 50 marks to pass the exam that is equivalent to a rating of 75.

The Philippine Global School was inspected by ADEK from 14th until 17th January 2019 and was rated as ‘Acceptable.’

As per The Philippine Global School ADEK rating and report, the school’s overall performance is acceptable in most subjects. Students show acceptable progress and achievement in most subjects, and the progress is in-line with the curriculum standards. Students’ personal development has significantly improved through changes made in the curriculum. Students’ self-reliance and social responsibility have also improved during the period. The principal has successfully given the school a clear direction, but the school should focus on raising students’ achievement.

Students’ achievement is acceptable and has not changed since the previous inspection. Their personal and social development as well as innovation skills are very good and have improved since the last inspection.

Teaching and assessment at the school are acceptable. The curriculum is also acceptable and has not changed since the last inspection. Students get good care, guidance and support at the school. Similarly, leadership and the performance of school management is acceptable.

Leaders have addressed the key areas for improvement at the school. The Philippine Global School has developed an assessment system to track students’ progress.

Students’ achievement is acceptable throughout the school, but it is not the case for Arabic. Students show improvement in Science, Mathematics and English in the middle and high school section, respectively.

Teachers develop standardised lesson plans for improving the provision for identified groups. Higher achievers should be sufficiently challenged. The school showed improved leadership at all levels.

Key areas of strength of The Philippine Global School are:

• Teachers’ strong subject knowledge
• Students’ improved achievement in Science
• Students’ social and personal development
• The commitment and clear vision of the senior leaders
• School’s improved partnership with parents
• Curriculum links that enhance students’ understanding of the UAE culture and Islamic values
• School’s policies and record-keeping procedures that ensure the maintenance and development of the secure environment and improved attendance

Key areas for improvement of The Philippine Global School as highlighted by ADEK are:

Improve achievement in all core subject areas, especially Arabic at all levels and English in primary phase by:

• Raising teacher’s expectation related to students’ capabilities
• Implementing and developing a literacy strategy to improve students’ skills in English, Filipino and Arabic
• Improving students’ understanding by identifying and pointing out gaps in previous learning
• Creating opportunities for Arabic teachers to share best practices and training them to conduct more engaging lessons

The school must improve independent learning and innovation skills in students. This can be achieved by:

• Working on developing teachers’ use of time, questioning skills and resources to improve thinking and problem-solving skills
• Further extending students’ use of learning technologies
• Improving the standard and quality of teachers’ feedback so that students know exactly how they can improve
• Encouraging each student to identify personal learning goals and monitor their progress

The school should improve the teaching quality throughout the school by:

• Promoting independent learning and higher-order thinking skills in students during lessons
• Improving the induction processes for new teachers and their effectiveness
• Introduce more rigorous monitoring of teaching standards

The Philippine Global School must improve the use of assessment to meet and match the needs of the individual as well as groups of students by:

• Using the information generated within lessons to match the increasing needs of students especially SEN and Gifted and Talented
• Ensuring that students understand how to improve their progress through developing consistent opportunities for self and peer assessment
• Extending collaborative planning in Middle and High school phases including KG teachers
• Ensure smooth progress across all phases

Increase the rigour in the school system for supporting students with special educational needs and Gifted and Talented by:

• Working towards improving the provision and support for SEN and Gifted and Talented students within all classes

The academic year is divided into four terms.

First Term begins on 1st September. The Second Term begins on 3rd November and students go on winter break from 15th December. Classes resume when the Third term begins on 26th January. Spring break starts on 29th March. The Fourth Term starts on the 12th of April. 2nd July is the last day of the academic year.

The school also publishes its internal calendar for activities. Each month is dedicated to particular activities and themes such as Moral Education, language, Islamic values, Social Studies and Sci-Math-ICT month.

Those interested in The Philippine Global School admissions can read more about the school’s academic standards, rules, regulations and policies mentioned in the handbook.

The school reserves the right to dismiss students because of their unsatisfactory academic performance and inappropriate behaviour.
Parents can visit The Philippine Global School Abu Dhabi to know more about the school registrar office’s admissions process. Parents should fill the admission form and submit it along with the required documents. Once the form is successfully submitted and accepted, the school contacts parents for scheduling the assessment.

If the student passes the assessment and qualifies for the admission, parents must meet the principal and sign the agreement. They’d also be given a brief overview of the school performance and learning processes.

After signing the agreement, parents should contact the accounts department for details regarding fee and school transport payments.
Please note that mandatory documents needed for admission vary depending on the grade. Here’s an overview to give you a better idea:

FOR NEW STUDENTS AND TRANSFEREES FROM THE PHILIPPINES AND OTHER COUNTRIES

• Duly accomplished enrollment, bus and health forms
• Transcript of records (Form 137) authenticated by the Department of Education of Foreign Affair and the UAE Embassy of Manila
• Latest report card (Form 138)
• Three passports size photographs of student
• Photocopy of birth certificate
• Photocopy of passport with valid UAE residence visa (student and sponsor)
• Immunisation card (baby book) or health records of the student

FOR KG 1, KG 2 and Grade 1:

• Duly accomplished enrollment, heath and bus forms
• Three photos of the student (passport size)
• Photocopy of birth certificate
• Photocopy of passport with valid UAE residence visa (Student and sponsor)

All prerequisites must be fulfilled upon enrollment. An admission slip is given to students once they are enrolled at the school. This slip needs to be presented to the class adviser on the first day of class. Please note that the failure to fulfil the requirements completely may result in forfeiture of registration.

For returning students of The Philippine Global School:

• Duly accomplished Enrolment, Health and Bus Forms
• Original Progress Report Card from previous grade/year level
• 2 passport size photos

The Philippine Global School fee structure is mentioned below:

Students can get food from the school canteen. Similarly, parents must inform the teacher, school nurse or the OHS coordinator if their child has any allergies as the canteen follows a strict nut-free policy.

The Philippine Global School offers school transportation services for students. Interested students should register for the transportation service at the time of enrolment. School buses strictly comply with the transportation policy outlined by ADEK.

To facilitate the learning experience of students, The Philippine School Abu Dhabi has a wide range of extracurricular activities. The ECA program is designed to:

• Provide students with meaningful learning opportunities outside the classroom
• Extend and support classroom learning
• Encourage cooperation and teamwork among students
• Create a positive environment focused on developing strong social skills among staff members and students
• Enhance the school-community relationship through parents and community involvement

The Philippine School offers a set of co-curricular activities and clubs. Co-curricular activities include:

• Music
• Drama
• Debate
• Speech
• Academic competitions

Club-activities such as photography club are especially popular among students. All activities are scheduled for every Thursday afternoon. Special events are also organised to foster cultural identity and knowledge about local and international events.

Students can take part in educational field trips scheduled during the academic year to continue learning beyond the classroom.

Students with high fever are not allowed to come to school. If a child becomes sick during school hours, the nurse would inform parents and send the child back home. If the child needs any medication during school hours, parents must provide a written note to the nurse stating the time, required dosage and the exact prescription by the doctor. The school also requests parents to submit a medical certificate at the school clinic in such cases.

Student’s vaccination record and medical certificates should be submitted at the school along with the copy of insurance card at the time of admission. Students of Grade 1 receive a form for the School Health Immunization Program from SEHA. The parents should sign the medication consent form at the time of entry.

The Parent Advisory Council (PAC) is created to work as a liaison between the school and parents. This is to ensure effective, two-way communication between parents and the school. PAC is responsible for arranging meetings/conferences and increasing positive interaction.

Teachers ensure that parents remain well-aware about their child’s achievement and academic needs through the meeting, SMS and advisories. Parents can communicate with teachers through the student diary and advisory.

Parent-Teacher conferences are held by the school thrice during an academic year.

The Parent-Teacher Association is created to build strong communication between parents and teachers. This association resolves common issues of the school and plans activities for students. The school principal and the school director announce the monthly schedule of meetings. Parents must join the meeting to discuss anything related to the school.

Parents Advisory Council works directly with the School Director to identify all school-related issues. Members of the Parent Advisory Council include:

• PTC President
• SSC President
• Faculty Club President
• Guidance Counsellors

• Telephone: +971-2-447-3366
• Email: info@thephilippineglobalschool.com
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