Inside Durham Dubai: The Case for Tradition
WhichSchoolAdvisor.com Senior Editor, Susan Roberts, spent a morning at one of Dubai’s newest schools, Durham School Dubai. Find out what she discovered and experienced with ‘behind-the-scenes’ access, observing classes in action, chatting in the teachers' lounge, having in-depth conversations with students and parents, and quizzing the school’s leaders on the journey so far in the full Durham School Dubai experience feature here. For a taste of her findings, continue reading...
What do we know from the outside?
Durham School Dubai opened a mere six months prior to our visit, in a freshly refurbished campus in Dubai Investment Park (DIP). It is the third international branch of the original UK school, founded in 1541 by King Henry VIII.
Although there are clearly significant differences between the new Dubai school and its namesake in the UK (the absence of a Norman-era cathedral for one), Durham School Dubai has marketed itself in a similar(ish) fashion, as offering a quality British education, with traditional values and a focus on kindness and respect.
Principal Mr Mark Atkins told us:
“We will make sure we get the basics right: science, reading, writing, good manners and discipline, proper dining. Once you've got the basics in place, you're giving children all the tools they need to be successful.”
Click here for the full Durham School Dubai experience inspection.
Arriving at the school…
Our reviewer arrived at Durham School Dubai early on a Wednesday morning, shortly before pupils arrived. Traffic at morning drop off time appeared to be relatively smooth and stress-free for parents, although the surrounding roads in DIP are not...
Principal Mr Mark Atkins and Head Teacher Ms Charis Wightman were greeting pupils and parents as they arrived at the school entrance. While Durham Dubai promotes a traditional British approach, its leaders did not come across as the stiff-upper-lip variety...
Click here for the full Durham School Dubai experience inspection.
Experienced leadership...
Principal Mr Mark Atkins and Head Teacher, Ms Charis Wightman, are an exceedingly experienced pair, having led and launched well-known British schools in Dubai prior to Durham, as well as teaching in and leading schools in the UK.
In addition to his leadership responsibilities, Mr Aktins teaches Geography, and appears to be a favourite teacher of many pupils.
Ms Wightman comes across as an energetic and highly motivated Head Teacher. Her passion for the school and what it offers is evident in even the briefest interactions with her.
Click here for the full Durham School Dubai experience inspection.
Sincerity from pupils…
Our reviewer met with five pupils from Year 3 to Year 8, all of whom had all moved to Durham School Dubai from other Dubai schools. The group, as a whole, came across as being very sincere and thoughtful, sharing their experiences openly, and demonstrating compassion and understanding towards one another.
They expressed considerable positivity when talking about their teachers, making particular reference to how well they feel their teachers know them and understand them.
With regards to discipline, pupils described their teachers as firm but kind...
Click here for the full Durham School Dubai experience inspection.
Inside the classrooms...
The approach to teaching and learning our reviewer observed was definitely on the traditional side, as promised, leaning much more in the direction of teacher-led than pupil-led learning. Year 2 pupils were quietly handwriting in worksheets, while the class teacher provided individual support to students where required.
Having heard from pupils of their enthusiasm for Head of Arabic (and Assistant Head Teacher), Mr Wael Shokr’s classes, our reviewer was interested to observe him in action.
A more structured part of a lesson was taking place during our visit to the classroom, in which Mr Shokr’s balance of firmness and sense of fun was evident. Our reviewer was greatly impressed by the remarkable ability level and engagement from pupils, some of whom had not studied the language prior to joining the school this year.
Click here for the full Durham School Dubai experience inspection.
Our View in a Nutshell…
In the respects that perhaps matter most, dedicated and experienced teachers, happy and engaged pupils, invested and satisfied parents, Durham School Dubai appears to have gotten off to a good start. Its traditional approach and quintessential British feel gives it its USP, and, for those seeking this style of education, it does stand out.
As Principal Mark Atkins previously told WhichSchooladvisor.com, “the biggest, single most important thing that we have at Durham is quality teachers. That to me is everything.”
Durham’s strength is definitely in its people, with an exceptionally strong founding team in place. The warmth, traditional focus, and very human strength of this school shines through.
Click here for the full Durham School Dubai experience inspection.
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