Fully Inclusive Citizens School Set to Open in Sept

UAE-based Al Zarooni Emirates Investments has announced the planned opening of Citizens School, a "world class educational facility" in Dubai, for September 2022.  In a release sent out on 10th February, Al Zarooni Emirates Investments said the school would focus "on the whole growth of a learner", and be "built around each child’s unique requirements, empowering them with choices to explore themes, expand interests and determine the routes that they want to go on to reach their full potential." 

Citizens School will "provide an experience-based, inclusive curriculum bespoke to each child’s strengths and approach". 

The school will follow the UK National Curriculum, alongside Citizens' custom-built curriculum, 'Citizens' Tapestry'. 

According to the release, the Citizens School site will be double the size of other schools in the same catchment area, with a capacity for 2,600 children between ages 3-18. It will offer its students a 2,900-square-meter open playing and recreation area; lots of room for parking; a 1,250-square-meter multi-purpose performing arts and activity hall; six lane semi-covered swimming pool and learning pool, football and rugby pitches adhering to FIFA and World Rugby standards; as well as a dedicated dining area for primary school students.

To launch the school, Al Zarooni Emirates Investments has partnered with Blenheim Schools, part of the Chatsworth Schools family, which runs fourteen schools and nurseries in the United Kingdom. The Blenheim Schools team has experience in nursery, primary and secondary education including supporting overseas investors wishing to invest in schools in the UK, and offering consultancy to schools based outside the UK.

Chatsworth Schools is not associated with the Chatsworth International School which operates across three campuses in Singapore.

CEO of Al Zarooni Emirates Investments, and Founder of the new school, Dr Adil Ismail Al Zarooni, said of the new school:

“At Citizens School, we are striving to empower our students to craft their own futures by celebrating and nurturing what makes them unique and providing them with choices alongside the right set of life skills to thrive in the communities of tomorrow. We believe in learning rather than educating, because learning is a lifelong pursuit that creates limitless possibilities. As a school born out of Dubai and based in the heart of the city, we share its innate spirit, energy, and optimism for what is possible today and tomorrow, as we play our part in positioning Dubai as a global hub of learning excellence in a diversified knowledge economy.”

Anita Gleave, Founder and CEO of Blenheim Schools, was formerly a founding partner and Director of Operations at ISP – International Schools Partnership - which now operates 50 schools internationally, before founding Chatsworth Schools. Speaking about the launch of the partnership in Dubai, she said:

"Blenheim Schools is delighted to be partnering with Al Zarooni Emirates Investments to support the launch of the ground breaking Citizens Education Hub project.  The Blenheim Schools team have a proven track record of outstanding educational leadership with real integrity, a passion for schools as learning communities and a commitment to excellence. Citizens School will nurture and promote the learning and welfare of all students and enable outstanding futures for the children of today and tomorrow.”

Hisham Hodroge, Chief Investment Officer of ZEI and CEO of the new school said:

“We aim to disrupt the way education is provided in the region through a unique offering that centres around the child. Together, through the partnership with Blenheim and engagement with the regulators and key stakeholders, we aim to achieve an ambitious project and play our part in positioning Dubai as a global hub of education excellence in a diversified knowledge economy.”

An initial WhichSchoolAdvisor.com review of Citizens School can be found here.

Tuition fees (discounted by 20 percent from the KHDA approved fees for founding families throughout the lifetime of attendance at the school) range from AED 36,000 in FS1, AED 44,000 in FS2 and AED 52,000 in Years 1 to 6.  Fees include all 'Educational resources' but parents are required to purchase Apple iPads and Apple pens for all children joining the school including the youngest.