Choosing a primary school, where your child will spend most of their time during the most impressionable and vulnerable age, is certainly not as easy as it seems.
This is especially true for a large metropolitan like Dubai, where parents have to select between one of the 190+ private institutions, each of which operates on one of the many international curricula (American, British, Indian, IB, etc.) in the UAE and offers its own benefits and advantages.
You’ll need to take multiple factors into account during your decision-making process, and each of these factors will carry its own weight.
At the end of the day, it all comes down to what aspect you prioritize over the other.
For example, during your research, you’ll find plenty of institutions that pride themselves on the quality of education they provide and their affiliation with some of the top colleges in the world, but their fees might be too expensive for some families to afford.
Similarly, some of the cheaper schools in the city may not be well-resourced enough to maintain a certain quality standard of teaching, or the offered curriculum might not be the one you were after.
With that in mind, here are 3 tips for selecting a primary school in Dubai that’s easy on your pocket and gives your child the best possible opportunities for success.
Be proactive and see it for yourself
Your friends, families, and work colleagues will suggest plenty of high-quality institutions where their own children are studying, but don’t just take their word for it, go to the school yourself!
We’ve seen plenty of cases where parents looked up possible institutions on the internet and based their decisions completely on client reviews, only to be disappointed when they eventually visited the school for the child’s orientation!
Regardless of whether the school requires you to have an interview or not, you can always go and talk to the principal, teachers, and the rest of the administrative staff.
In most cases, British and American primary schools in Dubai will even offer to give you a full tour of the campus.
Use this as an opportunity to observe the principal’s and teachers’ behavior with children and pay close attention to the students’ demeanor. This is often a good indicator of the general environment at the institution.
The interview should go both ways
If there is an enrollment interview, it should be as much about the principal asking about your background as it is about you inquiring about their facilities and standards of teaching.
In particular, we recommend preparing a checklist beforehand that you can take to every school you visit. This should ideally include questions like:
• Will transportation be provided by the school?
• What is the fee structure and what aspects does it cover?
• How large is the car parking?
• What kind of security has been provided on-campus?
• Are medical facilities available?
• Is there a dedicated gym instructor and sports staff?
• How large are the classrooms?
• Are toys and snacks available for kindergartners within the classrooms?
• How many cafeterias are operating and what kind/quality of food do they serve?
• Does the school have a swimming pool?
• Do the classrooms have up-to-date technology?
• Are the classes spacious enough to be comfortable?
• What kind of seating arrangements have been made and what is the quality of furniture?
• Is the teacher audible to the back benchers?
• Are students being engaged and kept busy?
• How qualified are the teachers in their respective fields?
• What is the mix of new and old teachers?
• Does the school conduct regular training sessions for its academic staff?
• Is support available for special children?
• Are the teachers willing to give special attention to students who struggle with spoken English?
• Do students participate in group activities?
Follow your instincts
Your gut feeling and instincts exist for a reason, and they should be the most important factor when deciding between one of the many British, Indian, IB, French and American primary schools in Dubai.
Often,you’ll fall in love with the campus and the facilities being offered by an institution, but the teaching staff will give off a bad vibe during your meetings. Use this as an indicator that something is wrong.
There are more than enough schools in the city that you can choose between. All it takes is a little bit of effort on your part, and you’re guaranteed to find one that’s right for you and your child!
