Excel International School

Excel International School, formerly Zakher Private School - British Division, was founded in 2008. Initially, it offered Kindergarten up to Grades 1 to 4, but now the school accepts students from KG to Grade 12. Excel International follows the British curriculum and is managed by the AJ Group of Schools, which also incorporates Al Ain Juniors British and Indian Schools, Al Ain Juniors Nursery, English Garden Nursery and House of Colours Nursery. The school was renamed in 2022.

• Location: Falaj Hazza
• School Fee: AED 17,500 to AED 28,490
• Curriculum: British Curriculum
• Co-ed or Segregate: Co-education
• ADEK Rating: Acceptable
• Years Offered: Junior KG - Grade 12

Excel International School is easily accessible for families residing in:

• Zakher
• Al Maqam
• Al Mutawwah
• Al Muwaiji
• Al Jimi

Zakher is a large neighbourhood divided into two sub-districts. The popular villa community in Al Ain has various amenities including shopping malls, supermarkets, restaurants and schools. Zakher Lake is part of the underdeveloped area of Zakher.

Al Jimi is also known as the City of Garden because of its green spaces. It is a family-friendly district away from the city centre. Al Maqam is a small neighbourhood bordered by Tawaan Street. Residents enjoy direct access to the city’s main highway Abu Dhabi-Al Ain Truck Road (E-40). Residential options in the district include a few apartments and villas for rent.

Those looking to settle near the school consider

• Villas for sale near Excel International School
• Villas for rent near Excel International School

Excel International School Al Ain campus has a sports arena which consists of a Football Pitch (7 A Side), Basketball Court and Volleyball Court. The campus also has a Discovery Forest, an awe-inspiring nature-filled resource area creatively designed for curious young minds as they pass through Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. Curiosity Labs are created for the restless and inquisitive minds of Key Stage 3. These labs are the answer to quench their thirst for curiosity. Students are kept busy finding the answers to their unstoppable questions of how, why, who, when and what by doing, investigating, observing and experimenting.

Excel International School Al Ain is situated on Nahyan The First Street. The nearest landmark is Zakher Park across 144th Street. The school’s campus is based in Falaj Hazza near Khalifa Bin Zayed The First Street and is easily accessible for those living in other areas of Al Ain. UAE University Falah campus is a 5-minute drive away from the school.

Excel International School Al Ain brings with it a freshness which is not commonly found in this part of the world. When passion and commitment work together to reach newer heights, students learn more, teachers raise expectations, and the school excels!

Simple but exhaustive and powerful ideas are at the heart of Excel International School. Every stage in the life of students will be an adventure. Learning outside the classroom through adventurous activities or inside the classroom through innovation is known to have significant educational benefits. It helps children develop technical, intellectual and social skills by overcoming challenges and sharing decisions. From a psychological perspective, it allows students to develop a ‘can do’ attitude that can be applied to all aspects of school life. A sense of determination is instilled, giving them the confidence to face challenges, express and deal with emotions, and a desire to succeed.

Discovery Forest

The Discovery Forest, an awe-inspiring nature-filled resource area, is creatively designed for curious young minds as they pass through Key Stage 1 and 2. Sensory resources will activate all five senses of the little ones passing by, touching and smelling the aroma of different leaves while hearing the nearby water gushing into the irrigation project. Heading to their plantation beds, they prepare the soil to plant their seeds or cuddle up on their soft cushions, climb, cuddle onto their imaginative mushroom stools, and get engrossed in their reading. They may find their friends either having a blast because it’s their rainy day in the rain area, or they may find some in the market area trying out new vocabulary during their role-play period. The novel amphitheatre gives them endless opportunities to express themselves in drama and art. The innovative sandbox will not distract them when they learn what to think and how to think – enhancing their metacognitive abilities!

Curiosity Labs

For the restless and inquisitive minds of Key Stage 3 students, the school has created the most exciting Curiosity Labs and the Maker's Labs. These labs are the answer to quench their thirst for curiosity, and students are kept busy finding the answers to their unstoppable questions of how, why, who, when and what, by doing, investigating, observing and experimenting!

Life Skills

Excel International has introduced Life Skills Training Track for Key Stage 4 students. While preparing for their IGCSE, AS and A Levels qualifications, they are taught communication and interpersonal skills, decision-making and problem-solving, creative and critical thinking, and emotional intelligence with self-awareness and empathy.

The sister schools of Excel have accomplished much in bringing excellent results in the all-important exams, year after year. Similarly, Excel boys and girls will follow suit by achieving impressive academic, sports and skill development results.

The school offers classes from Kindergarten to Grade 12. All classes are divided into the Early Years Foundation Stage for Kindergarten students and Key Stages.

Excel follows the British Cambridge International Primary Programme, which encourages active and inquiry-based learning. The Programme also aids identification of a student's strengths and weaknesses and is used to support learning and development for each individual child. The skills of communicating, creative thinking and improving own learning and performance are essential to effective learning and these are embedded in every part of our curricular (and extra-curricular) activities.

The Excel curriculum is:

• Exciting and stimulating
• Experimental - with lots of visits and visitors
• Creative
• Thought-provoking, encouraging questions
• Relevant - making links between subjects and student's lives
• Practical
• Fun!

The institute fosters teaching styles that offer various learning opportunities and are suited to all learning styles.

Early Years Foundation Stage

The EXCEL philosophy underpinning the Foundation Stage curriculum is that learning should be carefully planned and structured, emphasising fun, relevant and motivating activities for each child. Therefore, teachers delivering the Foundation Stage curriculum support children's learning through planned play and extend and develop children's spontaneous play. Excel aims to instil a love of learning in students, giving them a strong foundation for their educational life.

Teaching in the early years in EXCEL means systematically helping children to learn so that they are:

• helped to make connections in their learning
• actively led forward
• helped to reflect on what they have already learned.

Arabic and Islamic studies (for Muslim students only) and Moral Science are taught in line with ADEC's directives.

The school also teaches Personal, Social and Health Education (PHSE) and value-based education (taught by the school counsellor as group sessions and projects).

Key Stage 1 and 2

Key stage 1 and 2 follows the UK National Curriculum, which is a broad and balanced curriculum. Compulsory national curriculum subjects at the school are:

Additional subjects taught as compulsory subjects are UAE Social Studies, Islamic Studies (only for Muslim students) and Moral Science (for non-Muslim students).

Arabic is taught as a compulsory language. French, Tagalog, and Urdu are taught as optional languages.

More Able and Talented

Excel believes all pupils have gifts, abilities, personal qualities and talents that should be developed and nurtured. Similarly, all pupils should be given opportunities to achieve their best and to make the greatest possible progress. More able and talented children must be recognised early so parents and teachers can give them the opportunities to develop their specific gifts and talents. The school differentiates work appropriately to meet these children's needs. They also recognise that some children have individual talents, which may be developed through particular activities and opportunities.

ADEK inspected the school from 30th October to 2nd November 2017, when it was operational as Zakher Private School and rated it as “Acceptable.” 

Students’ overall achievement is good, and students make good progress in all subjects, including Arabic as a second language and Islamic education. Most students in the Foundation Stage exceed the age-related expectations while others meet the expected goals.

Students show good personal and social development overall and enjoy attending school. They show positive attitudes in almost all lessons. Their considerate and respectful behaviour towards each other and teachers is commendable. Independent learning and innovation skills are well developed across the school, particularly in British Division.

The school was found to have a good teaching and assessment system. Teachers encourage students to think critically and develop language skills. Assessment is used effectively to ensure the teaching method meets and matches the needs of lower and higher-achieving students. In the Foundation Stage, students show good progress in personal development. However, they should get more opportunities and options to choose from different activities for child-initiated play. Free-zone and open green spaces also seem underdeveloped for the Foundation Stage.

Assessment is appropriately used to cover curriculum content. It sets tasks for different groups in most lessons. Teaching should also provide sufficient challenges to increase a student’s attainment to a good level.

The curriculum is acceptable and is well developed to meet and match the needs of students in different stages of learning.

The school has a good provision for student protection, guidance, care and support. They are given a healthy and safe environment. The leadership and management are good. Self-evaluation processes reflect on creating a positive impact on raising standards.

Senior leaders fully understand and address all the recommendations made in the previous inspection. Students show good achievement in all subjects. The school is found to have a special focus on raising students’ language skills in English and Arabic.

Weekly tests for mathematics, spelling and vocabulary help produce above age-related expectations. Teaching has improved since the last inspection and is now good overall. The school has worked to develop the teachers’ use of assessment to meet the needs of almost all students.

Key Areas of strength of the school are:

• Teachers’ dedication to achieving the best outcomes for students.
• The way assessment is used for learning and ongoing curriculum adaptation.
• The highly positive commitment of the headteacher and middle leaders.
• The learning environment and how it stimulates and challenges students.
• The way the school supports and facilitates effective learning methods.

Key areas for improvement include developing the overall teaching quality by:

• Ensuring teachers plan time for allowing students to reflect on their learning.
• To extend teaching and learning in the Foundation Stage classes by:
  • Using all the available open spaces and free zones more frequently for child-initiated activities.
  • Providing further opportunities to children for playing and learning together freely, particularly while arriving in the morning.
  • Ensuring adults at the school provide children with options and choices about their play and learning.

The academic calendar of Excel International School has three terms.

• Term 1 starts in the last week of August and ends in the first of December, followed by a winter break.
• Term 2 starts in the first week of January and ends in late March, followed by spring break.
• The final term, Term 3, starts in April and ends in June, followed by a long summer vacation.

You can view the detailed calendar highlighting assessment dates, school events and National Holidays on the school website.

Interested parents can visit the school’s official website for Excel International School admissions and apply online. When the online admission tab is clicked, parents are redirected to the admission portal.

Parents can register their child through the school website. They will be redirected to the Online Admission Portal, where they can create an account by filling in the required information. An OTP is generated to set the password, name, relationship and mobile number. Once the signing-up process is completed, parents can log in and use the portal.

Parents should choose Excel International School from the drop-down menu. They can then view the list of mandatory and non-mandatory documents and must fill out the form with complete information and submit it.

Once the form is submitted, the child is invited for an assessment/interview where he/she takes part in age-appropriate activities. This helps the school to understand the child and his/her educational needs. Once the education team reviews the assessment/interview, a final decision is made about the admission. 

The application is put on the waiting log if no seats are available.

The school grants admission on the following criteria:

• Siblings are given priority.
• Strict compliance with the school’s policies and agreement to regular payment.
• The baseline assessment results of the applicant will be considered.
• Students with complete documents will be considered first.
• Admission will not be given to siblings of fee defaulters and irregular fee payers.
• The decision of the Head Teacher remains final.
• Parents agree that admission automatically entails consent on the school's fee payment policy and transport policy.
• The registration fee collected at the time of admission is non-refundable.

The school follows specific age criteria for admission.

Below are the documents needed at the time of admission.

• Student’s passport copy with visa page.
• Father’s (Sponsor’s) passport copy with visa page.
• Four passport-size photographs of the student.
• Copy of Birth certificate. If not issued in UAE, it must be attested from:
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the country from where the certificate is issued.
  • UAE Embassy or Consulate in the country from where the certificate is issued.
  • Countersigned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in UAE.
• Immunization (Vaccination) card.
• Original Emirates ID of the student and both parents.
• Proof of Student’s Residential Address (Provide Water & Electricity Bill or House renting or ownership contract or correct location as Plot No, Road no (for Al Ain), Sector (community), Zone (or District for Al Ain).
• Statement of Marks/Report Card for Grades 2 and above.
• Original Transfer Certificate (TC). If not issued in UAE, it must be attested from:
  • Ministry of Education or the Education Office in the country from where the certificate is issued.
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the country from where the certificate is issued.
  • UAE Embassy or Consulate in the country from where the certificate is issued.
  • Countersigned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in UAE.

The tuition fee for the current academic year is as follows:

The above-mentioned fee does not include the cost of:

• Uniform
• Books
• Transport

Fee can be paid through bank transfer using the following details:

• Account Name: Excel International School
• Bank: Sharjah Islamic Bank
• Account no. 0012153438002
• Swift Code: NBSHAEASXXX
• Branch: HBZ Stadium
• IBAN: AE550410000012153438002
• Address: Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, UAE

For further details, please contact the school.

Excel School, Al Ain offers transportation services. Here’s a breakdown of the bus charges to give you a better idea:

The school has a sports arena which consists of a Football Pitch (7 A Side), Basketball Court and Volleyball Court.

The school encourages students to participate in extracurricular activities to support their learning. They can become part of the different clubs depending on their interest. Some popular clubs are:

The school schedules age-appropriate field trips for students throughout the academic year. Grades 1 - 3 students were taken to the Al Ain Zoo, while Grade 5 -7 students enjoyed their trip to Hili Fun City Amusement Park.

Excel International School Falaj Hazza values communication with parents. The academic year begins with a parents' orientation meeting. In this orientation, parents get answers to their questions and queries regarding curriculum, syllabus and school calendar.

Zenda app, previously known as the Nexopay app, is also frequently used by parents to engage with the school.

The school also holds general meetings between parents and teachers three times during an academic year. In these meetings, parents and teachers discuss the status and progress of the student. If need be, the school welcomes parents to have individual consultations involving teachers and administrators.

• Telephone: +971-3-780-5025
• Email: info@eisalain.com
• Excel International School Website
• Excel International School Facebook
• Excel International School Instagram

What are the timings of your school?

7:30 am to 3:30 pm.

How many grades are there in the school?

The school welcomes students from Junior KG to Grade 12.

Does the school follow a co-education model?

Yes, the school has a co-education model.

How many nationalities are represented?

The student population at Excel International represents 25 nationalities.

Please describe the academic calendar of the school.

The academic year is divided into three terms and lasts from August to June.

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

Annual school fees range from AED 17,500 to AED 28,490.

How does the school communicate with parents?

Parents can use the Zenda app to get the latest update. The school also organises meetings and welcomes parents for individual consultations.

How often does the school arrange field trips?

Excel School organises field trips throughout the year.