Sharjah American International School, Dubai

Sharjah American International School Dubai (SAIS-D), owned by Dr Aysha Sayyar and Dr Nawaf Fawaz, was established in 2005. Besides Dubai, the school operates in Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Umm Al Quwain.

SAIS-D strives for excellence and innovation in education. Sharjah American International School Dubai was the second school launched by the group. The first one was the Sharjah branch that inaugurated in 1997. The SAIS group plans to open two more branches in other emirates.

The school offers education from kindergarten to high school. SAIS-D has successfully received full accreditation from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and AdvancED. It follows the American curriculum.

Since its inception, SAIS, Dubai has gained parents’ confidence regarding the quality of education. It has almost 1,800+ students, 143 teachers and 30 teaching assistants, making the teacher to student ratio 1:13. The lower teacher to student ratio allows significant individual attention for students. Besides this, the teacher’s turnover rate is just 10% which shows the commitment of teachers toward the school and its students.

As for the inclusive policy, SAIS, Dubai has 48 students with SEND requirements. Also, as per the recent Dubai School Inspection Bureau (DSIB) annual report, Sharjah American International School Dubai’s KHDA rating is Good.

• Location: Al Warqaa
• School fees: AED 16,619 to AED 41,547
• Curriculum: US Curriculum
• Co-ed or segregate: Co-education
• KHDA Rating: Good
• Years Offered: KG1 - Grade 12

School-going children living in the following nearby communities can easily access the school.

• Nad Al Hamar
• Mirdif
• International City

The nearest family-friendly neighbourhood is Mirdif. The suburban community is a world away from the skyscrapers you usually find in Dubai. Mirdif has evolved over the years and offers villas and apartments at affordable prices.

Parents seeking properties for rent or sale near the school can check out:

• Apartments for rent near Sharjah American International School Dubai
• Villas for rent near Sharjah American International School Dubai
• Villas for sale near Sharjah American International School Dubai

Sharjah American International School, Al Warqaa, has a purpose-built campus. All classrooms have a multimedia, comfortable seating arrangement, internet connection and tablets to ensure a productive learning environment.

You will find an outdoor football or greenfield, a basketball court, a gymnasium, and a swimming pool for sports facilities. In addition to these, there is a music room, an art room, a drama room and a STEM lab. Finally, the school has two libraries. The central library is located on the second floor, while the kindergarten school has a small library.

Overall, SAIS, Al Warqaa is more focused on adopting technological advancement by the students. So, for example, they have a 1:1 tablet initiative from Grade 6 onwards. Similarly, classrooms have smart boards instead of projectors.

Sharjah American International School is on the east of the city in Al Warqaa, just off the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road. The school shares location with many residential buildings, schools and popular restaurants.

Being part of a group that provides quality education in four different emirates, the Sharjah American International School, Dubai, has plenty of accomplishments. The education board meets quite frequently to discuss the school’s future while considering the need and requirements of all invested stakeholders such as students, parents, teachers, and the community at large.

Similarly, the school has established an Advisory Board that includes parents, senior students and staff members. Meetings take place every month to provide feedback and suggestions to improve weak areas of the school.

Finally, the school has upgraded its KHDA rating from ‘Acceptable’ to ‘Good’ because of its dedication and commitment to maintaining excellence in education.

SAIS private school in Dubai offers education from Kindergarten until high school.

Sharjah American International School follows the American Curriculum.

Kindergarten

The KG1 program at the school follows California Transitional Guideline, while the KG2 program supports the Common Core for English and Maths, Next Generation Science Standard for Science and California Content Standard for Social Science.

The curriculum followed at this stage promotes play-based activities among children. The teacher-led and child-initiated system allows students to build skills like problem-solving, curiosity, experimentation and brainstorming in the two-year phase. Further, to gauge students’ academic development in all areas, the curriculum takes support from copybooks and two-way communication between teacher and student.

Also, assessments are carried out at the kindergarten level to ensure a smooth transition to the elementary phase. For example, to check Early Literacy and Maths skills, students must take the Children’s Progress Academic Assessment (CPAA), a computer adaptive skill assessment.

Developmental Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP) is designed for teachers to observe, document and reflect on the learning process. The DRDP is based on California Transitional Kindergarten Guidelines (KG1) and the California Content Standards for Kindergarten.

Core courses offered at this stage include English, Maths and science, while special subjects include Physical Education, Music, Art, Arabic and Computer.

Elementary School

Students enrolled in elementary school are taught American curriculum education and local culture and values. The curriculum is aligned with California Common Core Standard and the Next Generation Science Standard.

Students are encouraged to develop independent learning skills through innovation, problem-solving, research, collaboration, communication and group work. Moreover, multiple assessments help students reach their full potential and work on their weak areas.

The first assessment is the Student’s Progress Academic Assessment (CPAA) to check Early Literacy and Maths skill. Next, students in Grade 3 to 5 must take Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) to check their English, Maths, Science and Reading abilities. Similarly, students in Grade 2 to 4 appear for the Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT4).

Subjects taught at this level include these:

Middle School

Middle school is a crucial point in every student’s life. Here, they can choose fields and courses that they would like to pursue in high school. The curriculum taught at this stage allows students to fully use their intellectual, emotional, mental and physical competencies.

Sharjah American private School, Dubai, has introduced the 1:1 tablet policy for students enrolled in Grade 6 and onwards to support classroom learning. Students are given tablets and an internet connection to help them better understand the course being taught. Also, children are highly encouraged to take part in after-school activities in middle school.

High School

The high school is a four-year phase consisting of freshman (Grade 9), sophomore (Grade 10), junior (Grade 11) and senior year (Grade 12). A round of assessments, presentations, group work, extra-curricular activities, critical thinking and research is conducted to prepare students for their diploma and SATs.

Apart from the high school diploma, students are encouraged to appear for the American SAT examination. Students of Grade 11 appear for SAT 1 in Mathematics and English, while SAT 2 in Science is attempted by students of Grade 12. Students are encouraged to appear for TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) examinations.

Parents should keep in mind that SATs and TOEFL examinations are helpful for students who plan to pursue higher education in the United States.

Though the school offers a wide range of courses, the program’s major emphasis is on Reading, Language, Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Arabic (for native and non-native speakers) and Islamic Education (for Muslim students only).

The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) inspects private schools in the emirate and rates them based on their performance. The rating is provided on a six-point scale.

KHDA inspected Sharjah American International School from 10th to 13th February 2020 and rated it Good.   

According to the latest Sharjah American International Private School KHDA report, SAIS, Dubai’s best features are:

• The school principal’s leadership skills inspire students and staff resulting in the school’s continuous improvement
• Students’ evident positive attitudes toward each other make the school welcoming, well-ordered and inclusive
• The support and confidence parents have for the school’s academic and social expectations
• The way leaders manage the school on daily basis and their investment in digital and new learning resources
• Professional development programs of the school that support recruitment and retention of the staff

Key recommendations in SAIS Dubai’s KHDA report are as follows.

• Increase the good and outstanding rated teaching by improving the marking and assessment practices in all classes
• Improve students’ Arabic and English writing skills, especially in elementary and middle schools
• Develop roles of senior and middle leaders to speedup the improvement across the school
• Maintain recent innovations in the curriculum and enhance the plans of new programs and courses

The 10-month long Sharjah American International School Dubai’s calendar continues from late August until July. A summary of the academic calendar is presented below:

• The first term starts in the last week of August and ends in the second week of December, followed by a three-week winter break.
• The second term starts in the first week of January and ends in the last week of March, followed by a two-week spring break.
• The third term starts in the second week of April and ends in the first week of July, followed by two months of summer break.

For more information, contact the school.

Sharjah American International School admission process is merit-based. All applicants seeking admission to the school will have to undergo the standard registration procedure, placement tests and interviews.

For KG1 and KG2 new admissions, the registration window opens from mid to late February of each academic year. For admission inquiries, parents may call the school at +971-4-280-1111 to make an appointment for an interview with the Director of Early Childhood Education and KG supervisor.

To start the process, parents must fill out an online application form and sign a Parent-School contract administered by KHDA.

Registration Phase

After filling out the form and signing the contract, parents have to provide the following documents to the registrar:

• Original Emirates ID cards (Parents and Child/ren)
• School report from the previous school
• Parent’s passport copy and visa page
• Child vaccination
• Childbirth certificate
• Eight photos passport size
• Child’s passport and visa page.

Placement Test and Interview

After a successful application, the registrar will inform parents regarding the placement test that students need to clear to secure a place. It includes English and Mathematics and will be reviewed by the Head of School, Students Support Department, Deputy Principal or the school Principal.

After the placement test, the school interviews parents and the applicant. An offer is made if the candidate clears the interview process.

Withdrawal of the Placement Offer

In case of hostile behaviour or disciplinary misconduct, the school reserves the authority to withdraw its offer. However, a verbal warning will be followed by a written warning before the placement offer stands invalid.

Parents are requested to ensure that their child meets the age placement guidelines mentioned below:

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)

Sharjah American International Private School Dubai’s fee structure is as follows:

Additional charges include:

Sharjah American International School Dubai fees can be paid via:

• Cash
• Current dated cheque
• Post-dated cheques
• Credit card (Visa or Mastercard)
• Wire transfer

You can view other terms and conditions related to tuition fees via the fee structure link provided at the start of this section.

Sharjah American International School, Dubai campus provides a lunch facility for the convenience of students. The healthy and nutritious menu is updated each year while incorporating food suggestions from students and parents.

Sharjah American International School offers a pick-and-drop bus service. All vehicles are well-maintained and are equipped with security features.

Sports facilities provided by SAIS Dubai allow students to prepare for competitions at the national level. You will find a green field that also serves as the football pitch. There is a basketball court, a volleyball area, a gymnasium and a swimming pool.

One thing about SAIS-D that stands out in its effort to engage students in extra-curricular activities. Below is a list of activities that your child can take part in:

SAIS-D, Al Warqaa successfully tries to create a balance between learning and fun. For this purpose, they yearly arrange various field trips for students to enjoy. Students can participate in international as well as local trips. Foreign trips include tours to Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan. As for local trips, students visited MOTIONGATE™ Dubai – the region’s largest immersive Hollywood-inspired theme park.

At SAIS Dubai, students are encouraged to participate in after-school activities held between 02:30 pm to 04:30 pm. Few of these activities start as early as 01:30 pm. Students from KG1 to Grade 12 can participate in these ventures.

The health clinic at the school has a licensed doctor and two full-time nurses to handle any emergency during school hours.

The clinic is well-equipped to treat minor medical issues. However, in the event of severe medical concerns, the doctors and the school administration will contact the parents.

Parents are strongly advised to provide correct and updated contact information to the school in addition to any medical condition/allergies that the child might have.

Sharjah American International Private School has multiple platforms in place for parents to contact teachers, staff members and the school in general. The first is Parent-Teacher meetings that are held twice a semester. Parents or guardians can discuss the students’ academic performance with each subject’s teacher and explore how parents can further assist the learning process at home.

Parents can also register themselves on SAIS Portal to view their child’s attendance, upcoming school events and important notifications.

Parents can join WhatsApp groups made for each grade to receive instant alerts regarding school events and policies.

• Telephone Number: +971-4-280-1111 | +971-4-280-0666
• Email: sais_dubai@saisdubai.com
• SAIS Dubai Website
• SAIS Dubai Facebook

Note that the cover image belongs to Sharjah American International School – Dubai.

What are the timings of the school?

The official working hours are 7:45 am to 2:45 pm from Monday to Wednesday. On Friday, the school remains open till 2 pm.

Does the school conduct after-school activities?

Sharjah American International School Dubai offers after-hours activities from 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm.

How many grades/years are there in the school?

KG to Grade 12

Does the school follow a co-education model?

Yes, the school follows co-educational model.

How many students are currently studying in the school? How many nationalities are represented?

Sharjah American International School has more than 1,800 students. Most of them are Arabic.

Are there any special education programmes or learning plans for students of determination?

Sharjah American International School pays special attention to students of determination.

Please describe the academic calendar of the school.

The academic year at Sharjah American International School Dubai starts in August and end in the first week of July.

Please mention the range of the tuition fee charged by the school?

The school fees range from 16,619 AED to AED 41,547.

How does the school communicate with parents?

The school uses multiple channels to communicate with parents. Parents-teacher meetings are held periodically where students' progress is discussed.

Parents can also register at the parents portal on the school website. They can also join grade-specific WhatsApp group for getting regular updates.

Does the school have a cafeteria or a canteen on campus?

The Sharjah American International School Dubai has a cafeteria that provides nutritious food for students. The cafeteria menu is updated periodically on the suggestions of students and parents.

How often does the school arrange field trips?

Sharjah American International School takes students on local and international field trips throughout the academic year for maintaining a balance between learning and fun. In the past, students have visited Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan.

How many teachers are currently teaching in the school?

143 teachers are part of the faculty. The school hires well-educated teachers having relevant teaching experience.