Nord Anglia International School Dubai: Where future changemakers get their start

An institution that breaks away from tradition to venture into the future — that’s what defines Nord Anglia International School Dubai (NAS Dubai). As one of the top international schools in the Middle East, NAS Dubai has created a daring curriculum that challenges students to become more than what they’re expected to be. This very approach won them the “Innovation and Creativity in Learning” title at the International School Awards in January 2022.

Students at NAS Dubai are taught to reach further and dream bigger — and it all begins with their approach to learning. NAS Dubai collaborates with both UNICEF and MIT to craft a curriculum that breaks away from traditional British standards of education. Instead, it focuses on learning by doing, encouraging students to participate in projects and activities that not only enrich their knowledge but grant them the transferable skills necessary to adapt to the modern world.

It’s a strategy that works. Graduates from NAS Dubai are known for their academic excellence, with a 100% IBDP and IGCSE pass rate. In the past three years, they have had three students awarded the perfect score of 45 points, putting them in the top 1% in the world. Students graduating this year are similarly talented, achieving an average points score of 34.1 which is four points above the global average. Over 20% of their students achieved above 40 points, in comparison to a UAE average of 7% and a global average of 10%.

What, then, makes a NAS Dubai education stand out? Tom Douch, Head of Secondary, believes it’s their emphasis on creativity. Here, it’s a vital component of academic success. “We firmly believe that nurturing students’ creative potential empowers them to think innovatively, solve complex problems, and adapt to an ever-evolving world,” he says. “By emphasising creativity, we instil in our students the ability to approach challenges with open minds and explore multiple perspectives.”

A world-class curriculum helps. “There is considerable flexibility and innovation in our curriculum design that allows individual students to learn in their own way. This philosophy is emphasised with the IBDP programme through project-based learning, which allows students to explore topics of interest in depth and encourages creative thinking and problem-solving,” says Maggie Perkins, Deputy Head of Secondary.

“The IBDP encourages interdisciplinary learning, where students explore connections between different subject areas. This approach promotes creative thinking as students are encouraged to make connections, think critically, and approach problems from different perspectives. They are also constantly collaborating with each other in groups or teams like in the Group 4 project which was focused on the 2020 Expo last year.”

A curriculum with a real impact

NAS Dubai students are prepared for the demands and advances of tomorrow. At the heart of this is the DICE curriculum. Combining Design, Innovation, Computing and Enterprise, DICE leads students through the intricacies of Design and Technology, Computer Science and Business. Along the way, they learn from previous MIT challenges to create and perfect their ideas and bring them to life.

A core aspect of the DICE curriculum is informed by the UN Sustainable Development Goals. As a critical aspect of the advancement of modern society, students envelop these goals into their learning and use them to guide their understanding of academia and the world around them. They begin in the classroom, working on various initiatives from recycling projects to fighting against poverty in their communities.

For example, NAS Dubai Year Eight students are working on a project connected to the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan. It asks students to design a sustainable building, which will be 3D printed and displayed on a scale version of downtown Dubai.

All of this makes students active participants in their learning journey — within and beyond the classroom. “The school offers a wide range of arts and extracurricular activities, including visual arts, music, drama, and sports,” says Djamel Khadir, IB coordinator. “The collaboration with the prestigious Juilliard School gives students opportunities to express themselves creatively, develop their talents, and explore their passions beyond the academic curriculum.”

A wealth of opportunities for every child

“We know the problems,” NAS Dubai alumni Anushka Lakhani was quoted saying. “Empower us to become the solution.”

With boundless opportunities that push students to think outside the box, NAS Dubai aims to do exactly that. The Young Innovators Day was born out of Nord Anglia Education’s collaboration with UNICEF and external companies and mentors within Dubai. It acts as a space for students to work together in developing solutions to some of the most pressing problems facing society today.

To participate, students work in teams of 10 on a number of projects that aim to address a specific challenge or problem. They learn and grow together on this collective journey, designing and prototyping a feasible solution through the use of technology, a physical product or a system. Throughout the day, they consult with inspirational leaders and professionals who offer them guidance and advice.

In this, NAS Dubai students have consistently thrived. In their first year of the Young Innovators Day, NAS Dubai students won the UN Student Innovation Award for their solution to diabetes; in their fourth, they formulated an application and virtual reality game to ensure Nepalese girls could succeed in education. This year, students will address the issue of creating more sustainable cities and communities, focusing on the 11th SDG goal.

That’s only one of many other initiatives and opportunities for students at NAS Dubai. It’s certainly one that gives graduates a boost, granting them access to the world’s most competitive and prestigious universities. Most importantly, however, it sets students up for a meaningful, purpose-driven life — one that contributes to a better, brighter future ahead.

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