Staff
The secondary level will have two forms per year group, with a maximum of 20 students in each class
Dubai, April 27, 2023: Durham School Dubai is set to welcome Year 9 students in September. The school will be expanding its secondary level to have two forms per year group, with a maximum of 20 students in each class.
Principal Mark Atkins sees the new addition as an exciting phase for the school, which started operations in August 2022. The Dubai school is a branch of the prestigious 600-year-old UK school. Durham Dubai offers a British independent school experience with the same expectations for academic achievement in a supportive environment with pastoral care.
“As children progress through school, the focus naturally turns to IGCSE examinations at the end of Year 11 and A-level examinations at the end of Year 13. Ultimately and understandably, parents will judge a school on its academic results and like every school, Durham School Dubai is totally committed to getting the best results possible for each child. Unlike many schools in Dubai however, we have the luxury of having a small secondary school combined with small classes that enable us to really focus on supporting every individual,” explains Atkins.
The early years of secondary school can be tricky because there is a lot going on in the children’s lives says Atkins. “Academic expectations aside, they are also dealing with growing up and all that it entails. Here at Durham, we are totally committed to students well-being and pastoral care. Small numbers enable us to really get to know the children, understand what makes them tick and help them grow not just academically but socially and emotionally. At this stage we also maintain close relationships with parents; this as a crucial partnership that will ultimately be of great benefit to the child,” he adds.
Just like its 600-year-old headquarters in the UK, Durham School Dubai focusses on bringing out the best in all its students. Durham School is proud of its record in ‘value added’, a measure of the progress students make from starting points, where it is ranked third in the UK.
In the summer, Durham School Dubai will be welcoming new staff, an overwhelming majority of which are from UK, with many years of teaching GCSE and A Levels in a broad range of subjects.
Atkins is excited about the new teachers joining the school. “They have a track record of success and great results, yes, but our teachers are also selected for the personality and broader commitment to the development of the students – positive engaging, inspirational individuals who will be remembered long into the future as teachers who really made a difference,” he adds.
