Smart Vision School

Smart Vision School, founded by Atticus Education in 2016, is a British curriculum School in Al Barsha 2. It inculcates value-driven and inspiring education to foundation and primary stage students. 

Students from 51 nationalities are enrolled in this school and are supported by experienced teaching staff. The majority of teachers are British nationals with relevant qualifications.

It is a highly inclusive school that invites students from all backgrounds. It follows the Dubai Inclusive Education Policy framework to meet special education needs. The Special Education and Need Disability (SEND) team provide appropriate support to students.

Its campus is one of the first in Dubai with a green eco-friendly school building approved by Dubai Municipality. The facilities are extraordinary and cover most of the academic and non-academic needs of students. Parents and KHDA appreciated the warm and caring environment of the school. Leaders also play a role in maintaining a home-like environment.

This guide on Smart Vision School reviews the details, admission and fees, facilities and quality of education.

• Location: Al Barsha 2
• School fees: AED 28,405 - AED 51,210
• Curriculum: British
• Co-ed or segregate: Co-ed
• KHDA rating: Good
• Years offered: FS1 - Year 7

The school is located in an ideal spot in Al Barsha 2, making it a highly accessible option for many nearby residential communities. The following residential areas are nearest to the school:

• Al Barsha 3
• Al Barsha 1
• Barsha Heights (Tecom)
• The Greens
• Al Barsha South

Al Barsha 3 is the nearest residential community to Smart Vision School. It is a villa-based community that offers luxurious 3-bed to 6-bed villas. Its proximity to Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road makes it an ideal residential option for parents with children studying at this school. Easy access to amenities is another positive point of this community.

• Apartments for sale near Smart Vision School
• Villas for rent near Smart Vision School
• Villas for sale near Smart Vision School

The campus of Smart Vision School has an eco-friendly building approved by the Dubai Municipality. It is a purpose-built campus with a plethora of academic and non-academic opportunities. The building has wide walking aisles and various indoor facilities for students. The roomy and well-lit classrooms have the latest touch-enabled interactive technology to aid learning. Technology is often used to support classroom activities. Outdoor classrooms are also available for students in the foundation stage. Each classroom has a set of facilities that support the home-to-home concept. These facilities include an outdoor area, shades and a toilet. Outside the classrooms lie massive breakout areas for flexible learning.

It also has an outdoor theatre-styled traditional Roman auditorium, where children display their creative and artistic skills in front of staff and peers. There are separate libraries for foundation and primary stage students supporting curricular requirements.

Other noteworthy features of this campus include:

• Separate playgrounds for foundation stage and primary stage students
• Sustainable gardens for growing plants and vegetables
• Performing arts area
• Music room
• Indoor and outdoor sports facilities

This school is situated slightly off 16 A Street behind Park 1 in Al Barsha 2. Those looking to visit the school can access it through major roads such as Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road.

Smart Vision School Dubai is an emerging British School in Al Barsha 2 that follows the popular British National Curriculum. This curriculum encourages the school to deliver high-quality education in the international context. It follows the ‘play and learn‘ approach in the early years and formal learning methods in the primary stage. It follows an enquiry-based learning strategy that aligns with its ethos and values. The missions, values and ambitions empower students to learn and explore. It also promotes the understanding of local culture through the Ministry of Education (MOE) curriculum.

The school hired an experienced pool of teachers, most of them holding a British passport. All teachers have previously taught in British schools and are well versed in the intricacies and requirements of Smart Vision School. This experience helps them implement effective teaching strategies to meet KHDA’s requirements.

Another strength of this school that makes it an option for expatriate families is its inclusivity. It is a highly inclusive school that welcomes students from all backgrounds. It is evident from the fact that it has students from over 50 nationalities. SVS also has an experienced SEND team to support the needs of students with determination.

It also forms a strong partnership with parents to support their children’s education.  Parents are often updated about the progress of their children. It also takes initiatives to engage parents in the learning process. Digital learning strategy is at the core of the educational programme of Smart Vision School. Students use the latest technologies to elevate the learning experience. For this purpose, the school collaborates with numerous tech giants. It follows a 1:1 iPad programme that allows each student to have an iPad for learning. It also follows a favourable Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy to supplement technology-based learning.

Currently, Smart Vision School provides education from Foundation Stage 1 to Year 9. However, SVS plans include additional grades organically. The following stages are part of the educational system that the school will include in the coming years:

The school follows the National Curriculum of England to prepare students for modern challenges. The school has enriched the curriculum with digital technology learning and other modern-day practices for effective learning. The syllabus focuses on attaining academic excellence without compromising on the non-educational needs of children. Additionally, it inculcates local cultural values and traditions by adopting the guidelines of the MOE curriculum. The specifics for each phase of education are:

Foundation Stage Curriculum

One of the crucial stages of education is the foundation stage. At this stage, Smart Vision School follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework. It is an internationally-recognised educational framework focusing on fundamental concepts through informal learning strategies. The teaching staff provide an enabling environment and foster positive relationships with students for their learning and development.

The curriculum focuses on seven areas of learning further split into prime and specific areas of learning. The prime areas of learning are:

• Physical development
• Communication and language
• Personal, emotional and social development

Once the prime areas of learning are developed, it focuses on the following specific areas of learning:

• Mathematics
• Literacy
• Expressive arts and design
• Understanding the world

On completing FS1 and FS2, children enter the primary stage of education.

Primary Curriculum

In the Primary stage, the school follows the version of the National Curriculum of England introduced in 2014. It consists of a combination of the following subjects:

The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) is a governmental entity that regulates the educational sector of Dubai. Established in 2006, it aims to improve the quality of education in Dubai. To achieve this, it annually inspects the performance of schools based on a six-point scale. The scale varies from outstanding (best rating) to very weak (worst rating). It also produces a report that outlines the strengths and recommendations for improved performance.

Smart Vision School was rated 'Good' by for the 2022 - 2023 academic year. The positives of the school highlighted by the KHDA are as follows:

• Strong leadership and governance.
• Good provision in FS, and good attainment in English and science throughout the school.
• Students’ personal and social development.
• The care and attention to wellbeing and health and safety for all members of the school community.
• Parents’ commitment and support, and their belief in the school's mission, vision and ethos.

Nevertheless, it has a lot of room to improve. KHDA proposed the following recommendations to the school to improve its performance:

• The Smart Vision School needs to improve the quality of teaching in Islamic Education, Arabic and mathematics in the secondary phase
• Improve the school’s assessment processes
• Enhance students’ learning in all subjects by providing opportunities for them to develop their skills of enquiry, problem-solving, independent investigation and critical thinking.

Smart Vision School's academic calendar is divided into three terms.

The admission process at Smart Vision is fairly simple.

Registration and Inquiry

Initially, parents show their interest in Smart Vision School by enquiring information. For this purpose, they can fill out the online enquiry form available on the website. It is important to select the appropriate grade for the child, as per his or her age. To help parents, the school encourages them to use the age calculator on their official website.

School Tour and Assessment

The admission team contacts parents to answer their queries. It also invites them to visit the school.

Parents visit the school, meet the leadership and teaching staff, ask questions and see the facilities. This is followed by an assessment where the candidate is assessed through age-appropriate activities while parents are interviewed to know more about the child. Before the assessment, they need to pay AED 500 as a non-refundable assessment fee.

Securing Seat and required documents

The school contacts parents to inform the outcome of the assessment within a few working days. Parents can secure a seat for their child by paying AED 2,200 and 10% of the annual tuition fee within 10 days of the offer. The following documents are required while accepting the offer:

• Emirates ID card of the candidate
• Emirates ID cards of both parents
• Previous academic record of the candidate
• Documents highlighting the need for learning support (if applicable)
• Immunisation record of the candidate and completed medical form
• Recent passport-size photographs of the candidate and both parents
• Original transfer or school leaving certificate

The following authorities must attest the transfer certificate:

• UAE Consulate
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Ministry of Education

For more information, view the admission process at Smart Vision School. Here's an age-placement guideline issued by the KHDA.

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

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

Smart Vision School's fee structure for the current academic year is as follows:

The table below shows detail for optional services:

A few other mandatory charges include:

• Assessment Fee: AED 500
• Registration Fee: AED 1,200
• Administration Fee: AED 1,000
• Exam Fee: AED 110 - AED 495

Discounts

• Sibling discount of 10% and 15% on first sibling and second (subsequent) siblings, respectively.
• Up to AED 5,000 concession on tuition fee upon referring a friend.
• 20% discount on tuition fee for Year 6 and Year 7 students on achieving outstanding academic performance.
• Corporate discount of 15% for ESAAD and Emirates Platinum employees.
• Corporate discount of 10% to 15% for Al Saada and DEWA employees.

The school does not offer any scholarships to its students. However, it offers a Special Academic Discount to students in Year 6 and Year 7. This scholarship is for the new enrollees meeting special academic requirements. Students sit through a series of tests called GL Testing and are assessed based on their academic performance. The outstanding performers in the GL Testing get a discount of 20% on their annual tuition fees.

A canteen provides a wide range of hot and cold nutritious food. The school’s management regularly reviews the menu to ensure that students have access to healthy snacks and lunch items. Moreover, it also prohibits children from bringing unhealthy food items, such as junk food, sweets and nuts, to school. Students can access the canteen during the 20-minute snack break and a 40-minute lunch break.

One of the main facilities that parents actively seek is school transport. Often, it is difficult for parents to drop and pick up their children due to work commitments. To resolve this issue, Smart Vision School offers safe and reliable transport service. It collaborated with Shanawaz Group to provide transport service at affordable pricing. It operates a well-maintained fleet of buses with impressive security features, such as a video surveillance system and GPS tracking system.

It picks and drops children at the designated pickup and drop-off points selected by the parents. To apply for school transport service, download and submit the transport form at Smart Vision School.

The school has previously organized overnight and winter camps.

Sports are an important part of the lives of Smart Vision School. Students actively participate in a wide range of indoor and outdoor sports where they showcase their hidden potentials. The school facilities further support their love for physical activities and sports. The sports-related facilities available at Smart Vision School Al Barsha campus are:

• Fully equipped playground for students in the primary stage
• An air-conditioned multipurpose hall for PE
• Two outdoor full-sized football pitches with woodworks
• Fully-equipped playground for students in Foundation stage
• A paddling and temp-controlled 20m swimming pool
• 100-metre athletic tracks

Besides academic learning, the school offers a wide range of extra-curricular activities to students. It believes that academic learning is just a part of education and must be complemented with fun-filled and exciting non-academic activities. The activities ranging from sports to performing arts and public speaking to creative arts ensure that students can explore the activities of their choice. Most of the extra-curricular activities at Smart Vision School are free of charge and include the following:

They can also take part in the extra-curricular activities provided by the third-party organisations at an additional cost. These activities occur in three sessions each year. Each session lasts around 8 to 10 weeks. One of the famous external extra-curricular activities at Smart Vision School is the swimming lessons provided by the Urban Swim Club. It provides beginner, intermediate and advanced swimming coaching by experts.

This educational institute also offers field trips to its students. Recently, students were taken to the Kite Beach, Jumeirah Dubai, to participate in the Dubai Fitness Challenge. Other popular field trips include visits to Dubai Aquarium and Al Barsha Pound Park.

It offers after-school care to its students through extra-curricular activities. These activities are usually provided by external providers and are exclusive of the annual tuition fee. There is an Afternoon Care Club for students in FS1 and FS2. The club offers a wide range of entertaining activities for students to play and learn. It takes place from 01:00 pm to 2:40 pm to ensure that FS1 and FS2 students can leave school together with their elder siblings. The charges are 170 AED per week – paid monthly.

Smart Vision School also has a fully-equipped medical clinic on its campus. The medical facilities at the clinic include three beds, a full-time DHA approved nurse and a visiting doctor. It maintains and keeps track of the students’ medical files through regular checkups. It is equipped to handle minor to moderate medical emergencies, such as first-aid service and allergies. The staff at the medical clinic is well-trained to provide medical intervention in the absence of the nurse.

The school ensures regular and effective communication with parents to deliver the best educational experience to students. Therefore, it regularly communicates with parents and informs them of their child’s progress. One of the main modes of communication at Smart Vision School is the formal parent-teacher meetings. These meetings occur at the end of each term, where teachers and parents discuss the progress made by the child. Besides end-of-term meetings, it also arranges parents-teacher meetings quarterly.

Parents can also download the D6 Communicator app available for Android and iOS devices. This app provides information for several schools around the world, including the Smart Vision School in Dubai. Through this app, parents can access the notice board, news, calendar, multimedia, resources and other vital information.

Another mode of communication is the school’s official website. The website is regularly updated with new information and the user experience made it easy for parents to navigate for information. Parents and the wider community can also subscribe to newsletters through the website.

Social media platforms and WhatsApp groups are the other sources through which parents can contact the school.

Address: Smart Vision School, at 16 A Street behind Park 1, Al Barsha 2, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

• Emails:
  • For general enquiry: info@svschool.ae
  • Admission email: admissions@svschool.ae
• Telephone:
  • For general enquiry: +971 4 288 0965
  • For urgent enquiry: +971 50 168 4268
• Official Website
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram

Note that the cover image belongs to Smart Vision School

What are the timings of your school?

Smart Vision School's timings are as follows:

• FS1 - 07:50 am to 01:00 pm (11:45 am on Fridays)
• FS 2 to Year 7 - 07:50 am to 02:30 pm (11:45 am on Fridays)

Do you conduct after-school activities?

Smart Vision School offers optional after-school activities on Mondays and Wednesdays from 02:30 pm to 03:25 pm. Also, optional paid after-school care is available for FS 1 and FS 2 children from 01:00 pm until 02:30 pm Monday to Thursday at an additional cost.

How many grades/years are there in your school?

Currently, the school offers education from FS 1 until Year 7.

How many students are currently studying in your school?

As of now, SVS has around 446 students.

Can you please describe the academic calendar of your school?

The academic calendar starts from late August and ends in early July.

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

Tuition fees range from AED 28,405 to AED 51,210.

How do you communicate with parents?

The school focuses on effective communication with parents by organizing formal parent-teacher meetings at the end of each term along with the use of the D6 School Communicator app and the school's official website. Also, you can subscribe to newsletters and use social media platforms and WhatsApp groups.

Do you have a cafeteria or a canteen on campus?

The school campus includes a canteen that serves a wide range of nutritious hot and cold food for students.

Does your school arrange field trips?

Yes, previously the school arranged field trips to various recreational facilities around the city.

How many teachers are currently teaching in your school?

The teaching staff consists of 37 teacher and 25 teaching assistants.