Reach British School Abu Dhabi

Opened in 2014, Reach British School is a co-educational institution in Baniyas East, Abu Dhabi. It delivers the British Curriculum from Foundation Stage 1 to Year 12. The school is home to over 1,600 students from over 60 different nationalities.

Reach British School Abu Dhabi’s mission is to help students lay a solid academic foundation for life-long learning and success. The school is considered one of the best schools in Baniyas.

In 2016, Reach British School partnered with International Schools Partnership (ISP). As a result, it added Year 13 to its arsenal in September 2020. The teaching faculty has native English speakers and specialist teachers who deliver the MoE subjects including Arabic, Islamic and Social Studies.

Continue reading this guide by Bayut to learn about the campus facilities, educational programme, admission and fee details, governmental rating and other important details about Reach British School in Abu Dhabi.

Reach British School location is in Baniyas East– a sub-community of Baniyas, Abu Dhabi. Baniyas East is an urban community with villas and apartments with excellent amenities. Nearby communities from the school are:

• Al Mafraq
• Shakhbout City
• Mohammed Bin Zayed City

Al Mafraq, a vital part of Shakbout City (Khalifa City B), is the closest residential community to Reach British School. Al Mafraq has become a popular area among the community. It is easily connected with the rest of the city and lifestyle amenities. It is home to schools, offices, Al Mafraq hospital and other commercial spaces. In terms of residence options, one can find 4-bed to 5-bed villas. Parents looking to move closer to Reach British School can consider the following options:

• Apartments for rent near RBS
• Apartments for sale near RBS
• Villas for rent near RBS
• Villas for sale near RBS

Reach British School operates in a newly built campus with world-class amenities. These include:

The school also has two smaller halls where students practice dance, drama, gymnastics and other extracurricular activities. The school houses separate fully-stacked libraries for both primary and secondary sections.

The music room allows students to learn an instrument of their choice. The school also has an art room to complement the extensive art programme. The art programme covers photography, interactive digital projects and traditional digital form.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) students are put up in a separate custom-built building with its own indoor and outdoor play areas.

Reach British School is near the intersection of Al Dirasah Street and Al ‘Adhamiyyah Street. The school’s main entrance faces Al Dirasah Street in Baniyas East, Abu Dhabi.

Reach British School (RBS) Abu Dhabi delivers the National Curriculum of England from Foundation Stage to Year 13. The International Schools Partnership (ISP) owns and operates the school. ISP is a global group of 56 schools located in 16 countries worldwide.

RBS Abu Dhabi offers extra-curricular activities and tried and tested education modules. The extra-curricular activities result in an all-rounded development of students attending this leading British curriculum school.

The management and faculty collaborate to foster a supportive and respectful school community.

RBS Abu Dhabi benefits from the international learning connections they acquire as a part of the ISP. Students receive the opportunity to participate in Model United Nations, the Global Future Leaders Conference and the Buddy Exchange Program through the school’s involvement in the ISP.

The school employs experienced staff members committed to developing the students– academically and socially. The staff lays a foundation of learning and support so that students can experience life-long success.

Reach British is a British Schools Middle East (BSME) accredited school that implements rigorous educational standards. The school also offers a myriad of extracurricular activities, such as arts, sports, kickboxing, karate and more. The school also provides extra classes for English, Mathematics, phonics and reading. Students attending the school can use the excellent facilities available on campus, including swimming pools, sports halls, libraries and ICT suites. It is also a Google For Education school with many multimedia facilities, such as 3D printing equipment and 65-inch interactive screens. Besides, the school also has ample Chromebooks and iPads to aid students’ learning.

Being an inclusive school, RBS Abu Dhabi embraces each student’s individuality. The school has an Achievement Team that ensures needs of students are met– be it learning, language or emotional. The team provides additional support to students of determination.

The school offers scholarships to students who exhibit excellent performance standards and students with exceptional talent.

RBB offers classes from Foundation Stage to Year 13.  The stages at this educational institute are:

The school follows the co-educational model from Foundation Stage 1 to Year 5. From Year 6, classes are held separately for boys and girls.

Reach British School Abu Dhabi delivers the National Curriculum of England, focusing on students’ achievement academically, emotionally and socially.

The teaching staff is mainly native English speakers. The school has employed specialist teachers for Arabic, Islamic and Social Studies lessons following the Ministry of Education (MoE) guidelines.

The school follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework in the Foundation Stage. It is a popular early childhood education model adopted by schools from different origins and teaching pedagogies. This framework plays a crucial role in building the foundational skills of students by targeting the seven key areas of learning:

• Communication and language
• Physical Development
• Emotional, social and personal development
• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the world
• Expressive arts and design

For more information, check out the RBS curriculum for the foundation stage.

In the primary stage, the school adopts a more formal approach of the National Curriculum of the UK. The core subjects in this stage of education are Mathematics, Science, English (reading, speaking, listening and writing). The foundation subjects are art, music, ICT and PE. Check out the syllabus for the primary stage at Reach British School Abu Dhabi.

The curriculum for the secondary stage is split into three sub-stages: KS3, KS4 and KS5. The subjects offered in KS3 (Year 7 to Year 9) are:

• Art
• PE
• Geography|
• History
• Modern Foreign Language (MFL)
• ICT
• PSHE
• Moral Education
• Islamic Studies
• Social Studies
• Arabic

In the KS4, students have to study dual Science, Math and English as compulsory IGCSE courses. They also have to choose three optional subjects. In the KS5, students study AS and A level subjects. Check out the secondary school curriculum to learn more.

Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) is a government entity responsible for licensing all private education institutes. They carry out periodic evaluations of all schools based on six criteria as listed below:

• Quality of students’ achievement
• Quality of personal and social development as well as innovation skills of the students
• Quality of teaching and assessment
• Quality of curriculum
• Quality of student safety and wellbeing, as well as the guidance and support provided to them
• Quality of school leadership and management

International evaluators use a scale comprising six quality levels, as shown below:

Reach British School Abu Dhabi was rated Acceptable by the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge during the last inspection in 2018-2019.

According to ADEK, the strength of Reach British School are:

• Children’s achievement in Foundation Stage
• Students’ achievement in Arabic, Social Studies and Mathematics
• Students’ understanding of Islamic values and their respect for Emirati heritage
• Cross-curricular links between subjects and the links made in lessons to UAE culture and society
• Arrangements to keep students safe and the quality of the premises and facilities.
• The management of the school day to support students’ learning

However, the school could improve in the following areas:

• Improve students’ attainment
• Promote students’ skills to be independent learners
• Develop the quality of teaching
• Promote the contribution middle leaders make to raise the quality of teaching
• Improve students’ attendance at school so that it becomes good or better

The ADEK-approved school calendar starts in August and ends in July. There are three terms in the academic year with the following important dates:

• The first term at Reach British School starts with students’ orientation and classes in the last week of August. Students then go on a midterm break in the middle of October. The term ends in the second week of December. It is followed by a winter break that lasts until December.
• The second term starts in the first week of January and ends in the fourth week of March. The midterm break is expected in the mid of February, while the school remain close after the second term for Spring break.
• The third term starts right after the spring break in the second week of April and ends in the first week of July. There is no mid-term break in the last term, as the school will remain close for the Edi-Al-Fitr holidays.

Check out the academic calendar of Reach British School to know the tentative dates for holidays.

RBS is an all-inclusive school and welcomes students of all backgrounds and abilities. The school encourages parents to visit the school and check out the facilities. Such tours allow parents to decide about enrolling their child at the right school. Face-to-face school tours are usually offered every Sunday to Thursday from 2:45 pm to 3:30 pm. Parents can fill out the school tour form to book a review.

The school has a digital prospectus to help parents learn more about the school. It is available in both English and Arabic to cater to the needs of a diverse community.

Prospective parents can enrol their children at the school following the Reach British School Abu Dhabi admissions process:

• Step 1: Fill out the application form and submit the passport or Emirates ID, school report card and confirmation letter.
• Step 2: Documents will be forwarded for review and approval
• Step 3: Your child will be asked to sit an assessment
• Step 4: Submit other documents and pay the fee to secure admission:

Parents also need to consider the following:

• Parents have to ensure that their ward meets the age requirements guidelines listed by the Department of Education.
• The school considers each admission assessment individually. The assessment evaluates the applicant’s proficiency in the curriculum.
• Parents have five days to accept the offer once the school informs them of their successful application.
• The enrollment is complete only when the administration team confirms that the parents submitted the necessary documents and paid the registration fee. Essential documents required are:
  • Recent passport photograph
  • Colour copy of child’s passport
  • Colour copy of child’s and parent’s UAE residence visa
  • Colour copy of child’s Emirates ID
  • Copy of child’s vaccination card
  • Copy of parent’s passport and Emirates ID (Father and Mother)
  • Copy of water or electricity bill OR apartment contract
  • Copy of UAE family book (UAE Nationals Only)
  • Copy of child’s last two school reports
  • Continuation letter including eSIS number for the students transferring from an Abu Dhabi school OR school transfer certificate if outside Abu Dhabi
  • Colour copy of child’s birth certificate, with the attestation needed if the child is born in Asia or Africa
• Once the enrolment is complete, parents have to pay the fees and purchase the school uniform.

The age-grade guideline followed by Reach British School is given below:

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

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

For more information regarding the admission process at Reach British School Abu Dhabi, read the admissions policy or contact them through admissions@reachbritishschool.com, +971-50-852-1801 or +971-2-582-2030

Reach British School fees are paid in three instalments over the academic year. Each instalment is to be paid before each academic term. The fee structure is as follows:

Payments can be made through cash, cheque, online payment or credit card. For any clarification, contact the finance office on +971-2-582-2030.

Reach School Abu Dhabi offers scholarships to support talented and deserving secondary school students. Students who apply for these scholarships must show passion, dedication and a history of excellence in their chosen field. To learn more about the scholarships offered at the school, contact admissions@reachbritishschoool.com.

RBS has two canteens– one for girls and one for boys. The canteens serve nutritious and healthy meals and snacks prepared by a third party catering company every day and is open from 07:30 am to 02:00 pm.

Students of Year 1 and up are allowed to use the canteen facilities to purchase healthy snacks at a minimal cost.

School bus services offered at Reach British School AUH are managed by Emirates Transport (ET). Emirates Transport is a reputable school transportation service. It is a safe and reliable transportation for students.

All buses managed by ET maintain the highest international standards and offer several safety features, including:

• GPS tracking
• Electronic attendance system
• Video surveillance system
• Panic button
• Sleeping-child check button
• Control room overseeing all bus routes

These buses cover all routes in Abu Dhabi, including:

Transportation charges to these routes amount to AED 5000 per annum.

To learn more about the transportation facilities, contact transportation@reachbritishschool.com.

RBS offers multiple sports facilities such as:

• Swimming Pool: RBS has a heated 25m swimming pool with the latest UV water purification and separate changing rooms. The school offers weekly swimming lessons for students of Year 3 and above.
• Multi-Purpose Sports Hall: The school has an indoor sports hall.
• Astroturf football field
• Multi-Sports Pitch: Students practice athletics, basketball and other popular sports on this sports pitch.
• Central play area
• Indoor play areas
• Outdoor play areas

RBS Abu Dhabi organises a Sports Day annually where students participate in various friendly sports competitions and win prizes.

RBS ensures that each student actively participates in extracurricular activities. These activities help students improve their interests and talents and contribute to developing social skills.

Some of the activities are:

In addition to clubs and activities, the school also holds various events, such as:

RBS Abu Dhabi regularly organises excursions and field trips to relevant historical and educational sites around the country. These trips are arranged to ensure that students’ academic exposure is not limited to the four walls of their classrooms. Some notable locations students visited in the past are:

• Abu Dhabi Science Fest
• Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
• Emirates Park Zoo and Resort

Most extracurricular activities held at Reach British School are conducted after school hours. In addition, there are various after-school clubs that the students can sign up for, such as Science Club, Soccer Club, Reading Club and more. These clubs are part of the Reach Afterschool Clubs programme.

The school has a medical clinic that provides health services to students attending RBS. The nurses collaborate with the Health Authority of Abu Dhabi (HAAD) to tend to students’ medical needs and emergencies.

Reach British School Abu Dhabi updates its website regularly to keep the parents informed on the progress. The school news section of the website posts updates on events and activities. Parents can also peruse the newsletters for additional information pertaining to the school. There is a parent portal in place for the parents to track the progress of their child at Reach British School.

• Telephone: +971-2-582-2030
• Fax: +971-2-582-2031
• Email address: info@reachbritishschool.com
• Reach British School Abu Dhabi Website
• Reach British School Abu Dhabi Facebook

Note that the cover image belongs to Reach British School Abu Dhabi