Quick summary of key school information
All the details about this school in their own words
Number of students |
Our school community consists of 3500 students with a magnificent campus and wonderful facilities that allows the student to have the experience of all life aspects. |
Number of nationalities represented in the school |
Our teachers and students are international, we have around 88 nationalities represented at CIA. This allows for a global exchange of experiences and cultures between staff. |
Most common nationality |
We pride ourselves in being an international school that celebrates all our many cultures, students and teachers alike. Although we follow the British Curriculum, we have adapted it to suit the needs of our cohort and the fact we are living in the UAE. |
Ratio of local students to international students |
60% Foreign : 40% Arab |
Native English speaking teachers |
All our staff is educated and certified from the MOE and they all provide the same level of education to all students equally. |
Language support for students not fluent in English |
CIA has support for these students, as well as courses they
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Additional language classes offered by the school |
Arabic, French as core subject
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Max. number of students per class |
FS-1 : 20 Student per class
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Average number of students per class |
30 Student per class |
Does the school employ teaching assistants? |
Yes |
Use of technology in the classroom |
In our school we use technology as a way to make learning more fun and enjoyable in terms of teaching. For example delivering teaching through virtual field trips and other online learning resources. |
Is the school ready to use virtual classrooms when needed? (e.g. teaching lessons online if the school is closed, e.g. during COVID-19 closures) |
Yes, as currently we are providing a mixture of both DL (Distance Learning) and F2F (Face to Face) learning to all students upon their desire. |
External examinations or assessments available |
IGCSE, AS, AL Level. |
Do teachers assign homework to their students? |
We normally encourage our students to involve themselves in the ECA ( Extra Curricular Activities ). If we do provide any homework it will be to enhance the student education level. |
Approximate hours of homework given |
Normally homework are done in school with the help of the class teacher, if the rest is sent to home with the student it will take around 30-50 mints to be completed. |
Dedicated staff/programs for students with special learning needs |
Special Educational Needs |
Learning support offered |
CIA aims to provide an atmosphere in which all students can reach their full
Wave 1: Students who are referred to the Inclusion Team by teachers, who
Wave 2: Students who have had a formal assessment, resulting in a
Wave 3: Students who have a formal diagnosis with a written report from an
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The school supports gifted, able and talented students |
Students who achieve well above the expected level of progress for their year
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Entry evaluation for students |
All students are accepted to be enrolled in our school, assessment will be running after we enrol the student to know if any extra support is needed to be provided. |
Waiting list |
Yes |
Deadline for registration (new academic year) |
No deadline. |
Students can join after academic year begins |
Yes |
School start time |
7:45 am |
School finish time |
KG2: 11:45 am
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School bus service available |
Yes |
School provided lunches |
Students bring lunch boxes from home. A clean and well-stocked canteen sells healthy snacks and drinks during break times. Hygiene and strict quality control of food are regarded as top priorities. |
Uniform required |
Yes |
Extracurricular activities or clubs offered |
extra-curricular are a huge part of international school life, and GCIS – Abu Dhabi, promotes the all-round development of pupils with a fantastic range of creative, musical and sporting activities. Regular sporting activities include cricket, football, rugby, athletics and swimming in the school’s very own 25 metre pool. Chess, photography, arts, drama and debating clubs are also available. |
Sports activities included |
Games activities, swimming, athletics. |
Sports teams or sport competitions available for students |
Yes |
Sports facilities at the school |
A learners and 25m swimming pool, cricket nets and playing fields complement the indoor sports areas and multi-purpose hall. A separate, well-equipped, grassed playing area is available for students in Foundation to Year 2. |
Qualities and characteristics best defining the school |
GEMS Cambridge International School (GCIS) – Abu Dhabi, is a thoroughly modern school which takes an equally modern approach to education. Located just off the Sheikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Road in Al Mafraq, Adu Dhabi, this British curriculum school delivers an exceptional standard of education to children at foundation stage all the way through to Year 13, from age 3-18. The GCIS – Abu Dhabi, is an international school with a real difference, providing children from all over the world with invaluable opportunities to realise their full potential academically, socially and personally. |
Teaching approach of the school |
The ‘British’ National Curriculum prepares students for the IGCSEs, AS & A Level University of Cambridge examinations, which are recognised by colleges and universities around the world. There is also the opportunity to study vocational subjects to prepare students for the world of work. This all starts with the foundation programme for children aged 3-5, which prepares the school’s youngest and most enthusiastic learners to begin the National Curriculum. This starts at the age of five in Key Stage 1, and continues through to Key Stage 4 and 5. This approach is certainly paying off, with educational results that are significantly above the UK average. Pupils from our British curriculum school in Abu Dhabi have been accepted to 97 universities from 26 countries in the last three years alone. |