GEMS Founders School-Dubai

Parent Handbook

2016-2017

Academic Year

Content

1. INTRODUCTION TO GEMS FOUNDERS SCHOOL (GFS)

2. OUR VISION

3. ORGANISATION STRUCTURE

4. ACADEMIC CALENDAR

5. SCHOOL TIMINGS

6. BEHAVIORAL POLICY

7. WHAT WE EXPECT

8. SCHOOL TRANSPORT SERVICES

9. SCHOOL HOUSES

10. HOME SCHOOL COMMUNICATION & GEMS “MY LEARNING PLATFORM”

11. MOBILE PHONES

12. PARENT AND TEACHER MEETINGS

13. REPORTS AND TARGET SETTING

14. ATTENDANCE

15. UNIFORM & DRESS CODE POLICY

16. BASIC EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS

17. BREAK AND LUNCH TIMES

18. ENRICHMENT CURRICULUM

19. PARENTAL ENGAGEMENT

20. GFS CURRICULUM

21. MINDFULNESS AND WELLBEING

22. SECURITY AND CAR PARKING

Before your child starts the school please ensure the following is completed:

1. Payment of fees

2. Submission of required documents

1. INTRODUCTION TO GEMS FOUNDERS SCHOOL (GFS)

GEMS Founders School is the newest addition to GEMS English Schools and conveniently

positioned in the heart of the Dubai City at Al Barsha South.

Gems Founders School follows National Curriculum of England also known as UK Curriculum,

providing students with the highest standard of education that GEMS Education Embodies. Our

innovative, creative and balanced teaching as well as our multinational, vibrant and inclusive

environment inspire students.

We are part of the GEMS Education family of international schools. GEMS Education is an

international body that pursues excellence in education, ensuring that it is accessible for every

child, everywhere. This pursuit of excellence has seen GEMS Education set new standards

across the world with the four core concepts of learning: learning through innovation, pursuing

excellence, growing by learning and global citizenship.

2. OUR VISION

Our vision is:

Together we inspire creative, mindful learners who value diversity, support one another and strive for success.

3. STAFF AT GFS

There are currently 125 different nationalities enrolled at GEMS Founders School. The top 10 countries are India, Egypt, Pakistan, Philippines, Jordan, United Kingdom, Syria, Sri Lanka, United States of America and the United Arab Emirates.

Our administration team are able to speak more than 10 languages including English, Tagalog, Romanian, Spanish, Urdu, Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Arabic, French, Serbian and Nepali.

Our teachers come originally from the United Kingdom (England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales,) India, America, Canada and South Africa.

4. ACADEMIC CALENDAR 2016/17

September October November

S M T W Th F S S M T W Th F S S M T W Th F S

1 2 3 1 1 2 3 4 5

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

18 19 20 21 22 23 24 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

25 26 27 28 29 30 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 27 28 29 30

30 31

4- First day at school 2- Hijri New year 30- Martyr's day 11- Eid El Adha

December January February

S M T W Th F S S M T W Th F S S M T W Th F S

1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

18 19 20 21 22 23 24 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

25 26 27 28 29 30 31 29 30 31 26 27 28

2- UAE National Day 1- New Year's day 12-14 Half term break 18-31 Winter break 2- Beginning of 2nd term 25- Christmas day

March April May

S M T W Th F S S M T W Th F S S M T W Th F S

1 2 3 4 1 1 2 3 4 5 6

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

19 20 21 22 23 24 25 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

26 27 28 29 30 31 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 28 29 30 31

30

26-30 Spring break 2-6 Spring Break 27- First day of Ramadan

9- Beginning of 3rd term Not confirmed June 24- Al Isra'a wel Mi'araj

S M T W Th F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 First day in school 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Holidays 25 26 27 28 29 30 Term Break End of academic year

1-8 External Exams

5. SCHOOL TIMINGS

The timings of our school day are as follows. The instructional hours throughout the week align with that of other GEMS premium schools and ensure that children receive quality instruction in an action packed day. Doors to the school are open at 7.35am and all students must be in their classroom by 7.40am at the latest for 7.45am registration. We ask that all parents are at school at least 5 minutes before pick up time.

Year Level Day of the week School starts School finishes

FS1 Sunday-Thursday 07:45am 12:00pm

FS2 Sunday-Thursday 07:45am 12:00pm

Year 1 and above Sunday-Thursday 07:45am 2:00pm

Drop-off

Priority parking within the school parking area is provided for parents of Foundation Stage, Year

1 and Year 2 students to enable them to escort children to their classes. Drop off for year 1 and

2 is next to the sports field, and FS in front of the FS main reception.

If you park outside the school you and your children enter the through the pedestrian gate next

to gate 2 which will safely allow the children to enter the premises. Drop off for external parking

is next to gate 2. It is vital that traffic circulates so please help us by dropping your children off

as quickly as possible.

Pick-up

To ensure the safety of your children we require your cooperation and support at the end of the

day. When collecting your children from the Year 1 and above at the front of the school you will

now see dedicated parent pick-up points for parents. At 2.00 p.m. the teachers will bring

students to the FS playground. Please remain in the parent pick-up side of the playground so

that teachers can organise the children in an orderly fashion and hand them over to you safely.

ID Badges

Please ensure that your child wears their ID badge every day, please tape the end of ID case to

avoid the card falling out. You must also have your guardian card with you when you are visiting

the school. If you have not yet received the cards these will be issued to you shortly. We

request that you write your child’s name and section inside their school bags and that all their

belongings are named. Please ensure you use the correct lanyard. Yellow for parents, blue for

parent pick-up and red for bus users.

6. BEHAVIOURAL POLICY

At GFS, we are a mindful school. We want our pupils to be honest, respectful, and hardworking individuals who take responsibility for their own behaviour, learning and achievements.This policy describes the Founders approach to positive behaviour.

The key principles are:

Be mindful of yourself and the effect your actions have on those around you

Be mindful of others' actions and how their behaviour impacts on your own

Be mindful of your learning and always be open to new learning opportunities

Be mindful of your school and the environment you occupy

6.1 Purpose of Policy

The Behaviour for Learning Policy is to ensure that good behaviour is rewarded and consequences are consistent.

6.2 Aims and Objectives

The expectation at GFS is that all students, staff and parents behave in a mindful manner. Standards are high and it is everybody's responsibility to remind individuals of our expectations. The main objective of this policy is to ensure these standards are clear to all:

Mindful of each other at all times

Polite and well-mannered

Courteous to each other at all times

Considerate of each other's feelings

Positive in supporting friends and colleagues

6.3 Rewards

'The reward of our work is not what we get but what we become'

At GEMS Founders School (GFS), we believe that rewarding positive behaviour is far more

effective than punitive strategies. As such, we must reward our students for positive

behaviours. These are not restricted to in-class activities.

Members of staff should praise students when they see positive attributes exhibited and should

explain to the student why they are being praised. House point counters can be awarded to

encourage and promote positive behaviours, GEM of the Lesson stickers can be awarded, and

any class based reward systems can be implemented including 'Star of the Week.' "Class Dojo"

is to be used from FS 1 as appropriate, five Dojo points = one house point.

Student Heads of House will count House Points and the winning House for each week will be

announced every Sunday morning. A draw will also take place every Sunday morning and

small token awarded for one student in the Primary section and one student in the Secondary

section from the GEM of the Lesson draw.

House point tokens will be displayed in the main school reception and a winning house for

each half term, term and year will be announced. House points will also be given during

various competitions throughout the year.

FS and Primary classes may choose to use 'Traffic Lights', 'Rainbow, Sun and Cloud' or other

behaviour charts but please be mindful of the potential negative impact these behaviour charts

can have on some students. Positivity should be the focus to negate and distract from poor

choices or non-compliance.

7. WHAT WE EXPECT

From parents:

To support your children’s development by monitoring their homework, following up on their progress in school and discussing what they are learning with them and their teachers.

To attend meetings with teachers and school Principal and address any concerns as well as discuss progress and future development

To maintain good attendance record throughout the school year

To ensure school fees are paid on time

To be a part of school events and if available actively participate in organization of the same

To support school rules regarding attendance, uniform, behavior and homework

8. SCHOOL TRANSPORT SERVICES

STS are our service provider for families wanting their children to be transported to and from school by bus.

GEMS FOUNDER’S SCHOOL – AL BARSHA

Sr No

Area / Route Annual

Fee (AED)

TRANSPORT FEE PER TERM (AED)

2016 - 2017

Term 1 (Sept - Dec)

Term 2 (Jan - Mar)

Term 3 (Apr - Jun)

1

Arabian Ranches, Casa, Sports City, Studio City, Motor City, Al Barsha South, Mudon,, Arjan, Al Barsha 1, Al Barsha 2, The Greens, The Lakes, Springs , Tecom, Meadows, Emirates Hills, Al Waha, Al Quoz, Al Khail Gate, Leyan Community, Sustainable City, Jumeirah Village Circle, Jumeirah Village Triangle, Remraam, Al Barsha 3, IMPZ (DPC)

5,500 2,200 1,650 1,650

2

Jumeirah Golf Estate, Umm Suqeim 1, Umm Suqeim-2, Jumeirah Islands, Jumeirah Lake Towers, Al Safa, Business Bay, Jumeirah Beach Residence, Jumeirah Park, Jumeirah 1, Jumeirah 2, Knowledge Village, Media City, Dubai Marina, Palm Jumeirah, Jebel Ali Gardens, Green Community, DIP-1, DIP-2, Discovery Gardens, Meydan Heights, Down Town, The Gardens, Al Furjan, Al Sufouh

6,000 2,400 1,800 1,800

3

Mirdif, Al Warqa’a 1, Al Warqa’a 2, Karama, Bur Dubai, Deira, Satwa, International City, Festival City, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Trade Centre, Zaabeel, The Villa, Falcon City, Ras Al Khor, Al Barari, Sky Court, Al Qusais, Liwan

6,500 2,600 1,950 1,950

A Customer Care Executive of STS is available at every GEMS school to support students and parents, and the representatives at the central office are always available to support you. To find out more about the STS routes, costs, policies, safety procedures, etc. please visit their website at www.stss.ae or call 800STSS (8007877)

Important notes:

Transport fee is charged for ten months in an academic year, divided in three terms. The fee should be paid before the beginning of a term. Full payment for each term should be done irrespective of the number of working days. If the transport fee is not paid by the 5th of the first month of the term service will not be available from the next day.

GPS and Electronic Attendance System - all the buses are installed with this system which monitors the movement of students every day when they board and depart from the buses.

Video Surveillance System – all buses are fitted with purpose built, durable and tamper-proof Digital Video Recorders which store the recordings for more than 3 months.

Student ID Card – it is mandatory for students to carry ID cards and get it scanned when boarding and disembarking from the buses. Students are not allowed to travel on the buses without ID cards. This is to ensure the safety of the students.

The wearing of seat belts is mandatory.

Student Bus Behavior Code – students are expected to adhere to the Bus Behavior Code, which must be signed by the student and the parent.

Drop off of students during the return trip – in order to ensure safety of students we shall issue Parent ID cards to all students

BUS BEHAVIOUR POLICY

Students are expected to follow the Bus Behaviour Code. Let us work together to keep them

safe and happy, while coming to and going home from school. Parents discussing these

expectations with their child at home will be very helpful!

Expected Behaviour:

Be kind, be safe and be respectful at all times

Get the ID card scanned while boarding and de-boarding the bus

Treat the school bus attendant and driver with the same respect as you would your

teachers

Remain seated on the designated seat and wear your seatbelts, where available,

throughout the bus journey

Sit facing forward in your seats at all times

Keep the aisles and walkway clear at all times

Report problems to the bus attendant and/or bus driver

Only travel on your designated bus. If a temporary change is required, parents must inform

the Customer Care Executive of STS at the school

Be ready and on time for departure and pickup

Speak quietly with "inside voices" throughout the bus journey

Wait for the sign from the bus attendant to leave or enter the bus

Inappropriate Behaviour:

Throwing objects of any kind on the bus

Shouting or being unkind verbally and/or physically towards others

Damaging the bus in any way (e.g. drawing on or putting feet up on the seats)

Bringing friends onto the bus without written permission from the school

Placing anything outside the windows of the bus at any time

Eating or drinking on the bus

9. SCHOOL HOUSES

The house system is a traditional feature of GEMS schools. Houses are a way for students to meet and bond with peers at and across year levels, it develops an ethos of team work, fun and pride. Throughout the year there are a wide variety of opportunities for students to gain house points and compete in academic, sporting, cultural and fun activities as well as acknowledging the best house at key events, and at the end of the year prize giving. House color will be assigned to every student starting from Year 1.

Our GFS School houses are: RED(Fire), BLUE (Water), GREEN (Earth) and YELLOW (Air).

Head of Fire House is Ms. Charlotte Sizer.Head of Water House is Ms. Lois Gill. Head of Earth House is Ms. Himani Puri. Head of Air House is Ms. Davina Looker.

Children wear their GEMS GFS house color uniform for PE, sports days and at break times whenever they are outdoors to protect them from the sun. At the time of registration, students are assigned to houses randomly with the aim of balancing the houses in order to increase competition. Siblings will be in the same Houses.

10. GEMS “MY LEARNING PLATFORM”

GFS will be using the My Learning VLE to allow parents, teachers and students to communicate with one another. "As the core component of the GEMS personalised learning ecosystem, My Learning is the vehicle through which we are transforming teaching and learning at scale, across our global network of high performing schools." Phil Redhead, Senior Manager, Digital Strategy, GEMS Education.

Both parents and students will receive a username and password to access the My Learning VLE. Communication between parents and school is a high priority at GFS. We will send all home learning material, newsletters, etc. via the VLE. Home learning provides an opportunity for the student to reflect on the work covered in class, and allows consolidation and practice of the concepts introduced. It also allows the development of sound study habits.

It encourages students to take responsibility for their own learning.

It gives parents the opportunity to help their child develop or practice skills. We believe the amount of home learning set should serve the above purpose, but still

leave sufficient time for the students to enjoy their own leisure activities outside school

hours as they are equally beneficial and educational and help students to develop their

individuality.

In addition to the above, all School Policies are uploaded to My Learning Platform so the

parents and students can have access to them.

*It is vital that you choose how to receive information and notifications via My Learning

in the ‘Notification Settings & Preferences tab’*.

11. MOBILE PHONES

Mobile phones are not to be used by students on the school site or on school buses. If there is an emergency and the child needs to access a phone, they may ask their teacher who will then approve this and send the student down to the administration area to make the call.

We ask that parents have their phone on silent when in the School.

12. PARENT AND TEACHER MEETINGS

Our Parent and Teacher meetings are organised minimum 3 times per school year. During this meeting you can discuss performance of your child with core subject teacher as well as with specialty subject teachers.

13. REPORTS,TESTS AND TARGET SETTING

Foundation stage- Ongoing formative assessments trough observations; CEM-Base

assessments at beginning and the end of FS2

Key Stage 1 – Formative assessments ongoing throughout the year plus summative unit

assessments; GL Education – Group reading test (year2), progress tests (English,

Science and Math), PASS (year2)

Key stage 2 - Ongoing formative assessments trough observations plus summative unit

assessments; GL Education – Group reading test, progress tests (English, Science and

Math), PASS , CAT 4 (Y4)

Key stage 3 - Ongoing formative assessments trough observations plus summative unit

assessments; GL Education – Group reading test, progress tests (English, Science and

Math), PASS , CAT 4 (Y8)

Reports are issued twice a year, mid-term and end of the year.

14. ATTENDANCE

LATE ARRIVALS

It is an expectation that students arrive punctually at school ready to learn as we place

great importance on developing punctuality as a sign of respect towards others in the

community. Persistent lateness will be followed up by a member of the senior leadership

team and where needed, by the school Principal. Naturally, we understand that there may

be infrequent situations when delays are unavoidable.

If your child arrives after 7.50 a.m., he/she must go to the main Reception and their

presence entered into the school attendance system. They will also be given a ‘Late Note’

to take to their class. This ensures that your child is marked as ‘present’ and we know that

they are on the school site. If a child arrives at class and does not have this ‘Late Note’,

they will be sent to Reception to complete this essential safety process.

LATE COLLECTIONS

If you collect your child at the end of the day please be at the collection point by 2.00

p.m. Our teachers often have meetings after school so if you will be more than 10

minutes late, you must call the school reception. Parents have a duty of care to collect

their children at 2.00 p.m. at the end of the day. If you have difficulty collecting your

child on time please talk to the school transportation service regarding bus routes to your

locality.

STUDENT ABSENCE

Regular attendance and punctuality are a pre-requisite for pupil achievement and a

vital preparation for adult life. We carefully monitor attendance and follow-up all

unexplained absences. Leadership of the GFS will carefully consider a parent’s

request, and take in to account their child’s current educational needs and previous

attendance record. If a child is absent for any reason, parents should call the school

reception by 7.40 a.m. on 04 5195222 to inform our reception team, stating the reason

for their child’s absence. If possible, please give the expected date your child will to

return to school. Parents should also email their child’s class teacher before the start

of school. Ministry guidelines state that a child’s school place can be withdrawn

following 20 consecutive or 25 non-consecutive days of unauthorised absence. The

target attendance is 100% with the minimum allowance of 95% (based on KHDA

requirements.) Attendance will be reported on school reports.

SICKNESS

If the reason for your child’s absence is that they are unwell, please keep him/her at

home until they are fit enough to return to school day. This is particularly important to

prevent the spread of communicable disease and a good rest will speed up recovery.

Please call or email the school reception before 7.40am explaining your child’s

illness/reason for absence. Please inform us of any changes to your primary contact

details.

Physical Education is an important part of our curriculum and all students should

participate unless there is a valid medical reason, in which case you must provide a

doctor’s note. Generally, if a child is not well enough to take part in Physical Education

lessons, they are should not be in school.

EARLY DEPARTURE FROM SCHOOL

Early departure from school is not acceptable without a valid reason so please try to

make doctor’s appointments etc. outside school hours. Interrupting lessons is not only

detrimental to your child’s learning but also to the rest of the class.

If it is essential for your child to leave the school before the end of the day, please

follow the guidance below.

• Send an email to Reception and the class teacher before 10:30 a.m. for Foundation

Stage students and before 12.30 p.m. for Y1 and above. Please state the time you will

be collecting your child and the reason they need to leave early.

If your child uses the school bus, please contact STS or the bus driver to inform them

that your child will not be using the bus at the end of the day.

• Come to school at least 15 minutes before your expected departure time and allow

enough time for a member of staff to collect your child from their class. It may take a

while to collect your child and their belongings and bring them to you in Reception, so

please be patient.

• You must report to reception so the receptionist can give you an exit pass. Our

Security Team will not allow a child to leave the premises without this signed exit pass.

Please note that it may not be possible to collect a student from their class after

1.30 p.m. without prior notice.

PLANNED ABSENCE

Parents should not automatically expect the School to approve all leave requests.

• Planned absence from the school is actively discouraged. Medical appointments for

example should happen outside of school hours.

• Applications for absence for more than 3 days should be made to the PRE by letter

well in advance. The letter should be signed, dated and a contact telephone number

and email address provided. The letter should be handed in to the school reception

desk at least two weeks before the leave has been planned, otherwise it will be

considered as unauthorised absence.

• Permission will be given for valid reasons only, such as a serious medical issue or a

family bereavement. The school will evaluate all other requests on a case-by-case

basis.

15. UNIFORM & DRESS CODE POLICY

Personal appearance is very important and a high standard of personal appearance is expected of all students at all times, both inside the School campus and outside in the local community when on school based trips. The students are our ambassadors when they are in and out of the school during school hours and what they do and say and how they look and conduct themselves is of great importance.

UNIFORM

Full and correct uniform must be worn in and whilst travelling to and from the school. This also applies after school and travelling home after activities and on all school trips unless otherwise instructed by a member of staff. Also full uniform must be worn to all Parent Teacher consultations and other formal School events.

Shirts/blouses should be of an appropriate size (not overlarge). All students’ shirts should be properly tucked in at the waist at all times.

Ties are worn year round and should be tied and worn covering the fastened top button.

Shoes should be polished regularly.

When sweaters are not being worn they should not be tied around the waist.

School uniform and personal items are the responsibility of the students and their family. Please ensure that all items of clothing and personal possessions are clearly labeled.

Any lost items will be placed in the ‘Lost and Found’ baskets at FS reception.

JEWELLERY

Students may wear a watch.

Girls may wear one small stud in each ear lobe and these should be removed for PE and swimming. No other piercings are permitted.

Jewelry items of religious significance may only be worn with prior approval by the school, following a formal written parent request.

HENNA TATOOS

These are only acceptable for religious/cultural reasons

HAIRSTYLES

Girls – Hair should be tied back fully off the face. The sensible use of hair accessories is acceptable to keep hair orderly and neat e.g. Alice band, hairband, clips, slides, elastic bands, scrunchies etc. as long as they are plain white, dark blue or black. Make-up and all nail polish may not be worn by any student.

Boys - Hair must be well off the collar at the back and off the ears and face, no shorter than a number 2 barber cut. Shaved heads are not acceptable. We request no coloured gel, wax or mousse etc. be used when styling hair and no exaggerated styles.

All Students – We request that hair must be of a natural colour rather than unnatural. We also request that the hair style itself is neat and modest. If the students’ hairstyle contravenes any of The above requirements the student will be requested to amend this with immediate effect and if this is not possible they will be required to remain at home until such time as their hair has returned to an acceptable condition.

OUR UNIFORM PROVIDER – THREADS

Our uniform provider is ‘Threads’ and the full range of uniform is available for purchase from the Level Kids store located at City Walk. Level Kids working hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00pm, Saturday to Thursday and 10:00am to 12 midnight on weekends.

For further information, please visit the Threads website: www.threadsme.com

16. BREAK AND LUNCH TIMES

All students from Year 1 to Year 9 have one 30 minutes lunch break during the school

day. Students in Year 1 and Year 2 are having their lunch break in the classroom whilst

students of Year 3 and above use the school cafeteria. They are divided into two groups

where group one consists of students from Year 3 to Year 5 and group two from

students in Year 6 to Year 8. Group one break is from 10:30 to 11:00 am and group two

break is from 11:00-11:30 am.

In Primary School Teachers, give short brain breaks to students when they find it

appropriate.

17. ENRICHMENT CURRICULUM

GEMS Founders School offers variety of Enrichment subjects. They are included in the

school curriculum as well as the After School Activities. Each year group has a set of 12-

15 activities to choose from and only one of them can be attended per term. Students

can select new activity for each term. ASA are taking place every Tuesday from 2:30 -

3:30pm and are free of charge. Bus transportation is provided for students attending

GFS ASA. For any other afterschool activity transportation is not provided. Enrichment

curriculum activities are taking place every Tuesday as a last class on that day.

In addition to the above opportunities from E Sports and Academy Plus are offered at

paid basis throughout the week.

18. PARENTAL ENGAGEMENT

GFS Parent Association also known as GFPA was formed in December 2016. Parents

have elected their committee and created GFPA Constitution, which states that the aim

of Parent Association is to provide a structure through which the parents/guardians of

children attending Gems Founders School can work together for the best possible

education for their children. The Parent Association will work with principal staff and

board of management to build effective partnership between home and school.

To support and cooperate with the school Management in deferent areas to achieve a

good rating score in KHDA inspections.

GFPA meeting are taking place every Thursday.

The Local Advisory Body has three Parent Representatives out of six members. It meets

on a termly basis to discuss the strategic vision of the school.

19. GFS CURRICULUM

19.1 National Curriculum for England

GEMS Founders School follows the National Curriculum for England and will open from

Foundation Stage 1 (aged 3+) to Year 8 (aged 12+) in the first year. The school will

eventually grow, offering Year 13 ‘A’ level courses. Within this framework we are also

mindful of the fact that our school will be truly international in its character, as well as

respecting our host country’s vision, history and traditions. This will be achieved through

high quality learning in lessons, an extensive range of enrichment activities and a truly

personalized educational experience for each child. For more information about the

curriculum, visit the www.dfe.gov.uk.

19.2. Teaching and Learning

Each classroom is fully equipped with a LED Smart Board and a white board. The

teacher is a mere facilitator to learning. Students are encouraged to work collaboratively

through peer learning, self-directed research and projects. Enriching our curriculum

there will be sports days, art and music events, educational visits and field trips, UAE

National Day celebrations.

19.3. Languages

Languages will be one of two core specialisms at our school. Languages, in all of its

connotations, from developing it through our curriculum with English, Arabic and French,

considering the many home languages of our children and in general the development

and acquisition of language. This is just a brief introduction to something you will find

much more about in the future.

According to the Ministry of Education, from Year 1 learning of Arabic is mandatory.

All Islamic students will be attending Islamic Education either in Arabic or English.

French Language will be introduced to our students from Year 3.

19.4. Inclusion

At GFS we will have a whole school approach to ensure that no child feels excluded or

becomes disengaged as a result of an additional need. Like all children they will be

provided with opportunities to flourish with us. Our Head of Inclusion, Kirsta Reid, has

extensive experience in the field of Special Educational Needs. Ms. Kirsta spent the last

few years training teachers to help them create an inclusive environment. We are sure

she will have every success in developing this vital area at GEMS Founders School.

19.5. Technology

There has been a huge amount of research to show that when technology is used

appropriately in schools it has the power to allow all learners to access the curriculum.

One of the issues schools have always faced is how to make sure that each student can

work at their own pace but also teach them in a traditional classroom environment. We

have now spent many years considering this in education and at this stage have a

greater understanding of how to achieve this goal than ever before. At Founders we will

use the power of technology to increase the learning opportunities, both inside and

outside of school.

20. MINDFULNESS AND WELLBEING

Mindfulness at Founders means an ability to focus one’s attention on the present

moment with an awareness of the impact our actions have on others. In old-fashioned

terms it is the development of courtesy and manners as a way to be respectful to one’s

surroundings and getting the most out of any given situation. It has been proven that this

type of approach in schools can lead to a far greater sense of personal wellbeing, which

leads to a much healthier community. In our world today we have so many stimuli and

influences that often we are thinking about the next stage before even completing

the current one.

We want all of our community to be mindful of each other and considerate of the

moment we are all living in so that we can improve our quality of life.

We want them to learn the thinking skills needed to move into a world that we know very

little about. Our world is constantly changing and we must adapt to meet these new

needs, which in an uncertain world can be complicated. One thing we can be sure of is

that children who leave a school which has considered a holistic approach to education

will be better equipped to face the challenges in their future. We often hear the phrase

that we need to make a better world for our children and this is of course correct. At

GEMS Founders School we also believe we need to make better children for our world.

21. SECURITY AND CAR PARKING

Security are on duty 24 hours a day. The perimeter fence is monitored at all times to ensure entry and exit to the school is controlled.

Please make sure you wear the correct lanyard.

Yellow Parents

Green Visitors & Contractors

Red Parent Association

ID lanyards should be worn at all times and access will not be permitted without one.

Visitors are required to sign in at the security gate and provide a form of ID. They will then be issued with a green lanyard.

Please keep your speed below 20km per hour when driving inside the school grounds and be vigilant for children passing between parked cars. When leaving the school, be aware of non-school traffic on the main road passing at speed.

When parking within the school grounds, please reverse park. This will help you leave more easily and enable you to see pedestrians more easily when pulling out. Do be careful to check behind you frequently when reversing your vehicle.

Please use the pedestrian walkways and follow the instructions of security, they are working with your safety in mind.