GEMS New Millennium School is located near two other GEMS schools at the edge of the Dubai Hills development immediately off the Al Khail Road and Al Marabea Street. The school was established with the intention of providing an Indian curriculum education to families moving into the Dubai Hills and Mohammed Bin Rashid City developments. However, in reality, it serves children travelling from a wide area across Dubai.

The story so far...

GEMS New Millennium School (NMS) opened in 2013, together with two further new GEMS schools on a large site close to the Al Khail Road and two large housing developments. The school will therefore celebrate its 10th anniversary in the 2023-24 academic year.

GEMS New Millennium School follows the Indian Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) curriculum with a specific additional feature of an extended Day Boarding facility (known as PACT - Program for Appreciation and Cultivation of Talent) which enables students from Grade 1 to stay in school until 3.30pm. 

The school states that its Vision is: 'To embed the habit of exploration in the minds of Generation Next; to open greater vistas: Semper sursum-forever higher.' Its Mission is: 'To be the cradle for the best practices of education; trans-creating them into the school of tomorrow.'

Currently with almost 2,275 students on the roster, the majority of students and its 123 teachers and 30 teaching assistants hold an Indian passport, although the school counts over 35 different nationalities overall from across the globe. The Principal, Ms. Fatima Martin, in her opening remarks notes: "internationalism prevails in the ethos of our school. All the cultures and identities of our students is [sic] promoted through the enriching curriculum and all activities we take part in."  

Read our most recent school  Experience visit here. 

Average class sizes are a maximum of 25 in pre-KG and KG, to a maximum of 30 from Grade 1.  The teacher:student ratio is 1:18 - on the high side for many schools in Dubai, but average for the Indian curriculum.  Teacher turnover appears to have been a consistent issue at 19% in 2018-19, and 16% a year prior is around the average for Dubai (20-22%),but on the high side for an Indian school.  In the latest KHDA inspection report for 2022-23, teacher turnover has reached 20% - something we would assume must be a concern, given that no school wants to lose a fifth of its teachers each year. 

The school states that it has a specific focus on "Innovation and 21st Century Skills such as Critical Thinking and Problem-solving."  It singles out its Extended Day-care facility [referred to as Day Boarding], supported by its After-school Enrichment Activities, the Genius Hour and its rigorous Career Guidance programme as specialist features of the school.

What about the curriculum?

Whilst NMS is essentially a CBSE curriculum school, students in the KG section follow the UK curriculum-based EYFS curriculum and the UK curriculum influence no longer stops there!  

In a significant step away from the norm, GEMS New Millennium School has, from September 2020, offered a two-track approach for Secondary students with the option of the current CBSE curriculum for Grades 9 to 12, or the UK-based Cambridge International curriculum (offering IGCSE) in the equivalent years 10 and 11, and International A Levels in years 12 and 13. 
Whilst this is a practice followed by GEMS' Our Own English High School in Al Ain, for instance, it is not an offering that has been available in Dubai until now.

Explaining the background to this decision, NMS informed WhichSchoolAdvisor.com that some parents prefer their children to opt for the UK-based programme, if they want them to join universities across the world.

The Kindergarten curriculum is designed to develop independence while encouraging students to pursue knowledge and become lifelong learners. Emphasis in the early years is placed on the child’s development, guided by the expectations of the seven areas of learning: Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Communications and Language, Mathematics, English, EVS (Science and Coding), Creative Development (Music, Art and Dance), Physical Development (Physical Education, Swimming and Aerobics). Students engage in hands-on, experiential learning, including field visits, morning assemblies, theme-based learning weeks and community outreach activities. Extended learning takes place through subject centres in the classroom, learning zones and free flow areas, which stimulate learners through a range of resources and child initiated activities.

In keeping with the vision and philosophy of the school, NMS aims to provide "powerful learning opportunities utilising Design thinking, Thinking Routines, project-based multidisciplinary learning, and the development of critical thinking skills." 

The school offers a weekly theme-based approach to enable students to connect and collaborate across subjects for strategic cross-curricular links, but there is also a focus on specific individual subjects.  

Core subjects from Grades 1 to 10 include English Language and Literature, Mathematics, EVS (Primary Years) and Science (Middle Years), Islamic Education or Moral Science, Arabic, Social Studies, Modern Foreign Languages (French, Hindi or Malayalam), Music, Dance and Drama, Physical Education, Swimming and other sports, Art and Design, Computing, programming and ICT. For students who join as beginners of the English language in Grades 1 and above, an English Language Learners programme is provided. 

Teaching methodologies are drawn from both the CBSE and other curricula. In English, for example, there is a strong focus on supporting key skills such as listening, reading, writing and speaking. These include activities such as Big Write (a strategy to enhance students’ writing skills), the use of assessment focuses to track reading, SPAG (spelling, punctuation & grammar), Peer Assisted Learning (PALS) and banded reading library resources.  Enrichment activities to support English language development include activities such as the Model United Nations (MUN), World Scholar’s Cup (WSC) Global Round, Leadership Summits, the NMS Literacy Week and Spelling Bee.

A total of 23 subjects are offered for Grades 11 and 12 at CBSE including the core subjects of English, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Computer Science, Accountancy, Business Studies, Economics, Psychology, Political Science, Sociology, Engineering Graphics, Physical Education, Painting, Odissi Dance, Home Science, Informatics Practices, Entrepreneurship, Tourism, Marketing, Media, and Mass Media Studies.

The NMS Science Curriculum is based on the CASE methodology, and features strategies such as Consider All Possibilities (CAP), Plus-Minus-Interesting (PMI), and Odd One Out, which form the nucleus of the teaching and learning approach.

For students wishing to pursue the IGCSE option, students coming from the CBSE curriculum will join Year 9 in April and after completing a bridging programme from April till June, the transition to Year 10 takes place in September. Those students who come directly from British curriculum can enrol in Year 10 after completing their Year 9 in their previous school.

The availability of the IGCSE curriculum was welcomed by the DSIB inspectors in the 2022-23 inspection report who noted that the introduction of IGCSE has considerably extended the range of options available to students and better meets their interests and aspirations.

Currently, compulsory core subjects include English, Mathematics and Islamic/Global Perspectives and non-core subjects of Arabic, Moral Education, UAE Social Studies, PE, Global Futures (Singularity University), and Genius Hour.  Subject options include Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry, Economics, ICT, and Physics. 

At A Level, the options are a choice between Mathematics/Biology, Physics, Chemistry and Computer Science. It would seem that it is largely Science students who are attracted to the IGCSE/A Level options.

The school also aims to be a centre of innovation. Genius Hour tasks include projects for critical thinking, problem solving, reflection and communication. Some of the strategies embedded in the curriculum include STEAM-focused learning, entrepreneurial education, design-based innovation, Global Futures Curriculum, Global Innovation Challenge, and Project Zero Creating Community of Innovation. The curriculum offered at NMS aims to develop young people "who are technologically literate, self-sufficient, entrepreneurial and academically prepared global citizens."

A further programme - The NMS Community Outreach – Environment – Innovation Programme (COEIP) is a structured programme of activities, specific to each grade, in which students undertake one targeted monthly project based around charitable, environmental or community activities.  Examples include activities such as Pinktober awareness, the 30x30 Fitness Challenge, Diwali Dhamaka and Science Week. 

 An additional feature of NMS, which is seen as a particular feature, is its Day Boarding programme, called PACT - 'Program for Appreciation and Cultivation of Talent'.

The "5 pillars of PACT" are Prep (Homework time), Remedial, Sports, Visual Arts and Performing Arts, designed to enable students to develop their skills in communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity. The programme is described as an integral part of the curriculum, "making quality ‘family time’ at home a reality."

There are over 30 Enrichment Activities at no additional charge, including visual arts, performing arts, career guidance programmes, IIT JEE coaching, creative arts, painting, Chess and Robotics, as well as sports such as Swimming, Football, Basketball, Roller skating and Badminton. Music classes are held on campus and students may study for and enter exams with the Trinity School of Music. 

These activities take place at the end of the school day (the normal day runs from 7.30am to 1.30pm, with PACT taking place from 1.30pm to 3.30pm.  According to the school, 95% of students participate in this programme.

Additional provision for students in relation to Career and University Guidance includes SAT training and SAT Mock Tests conducted in school by an external provider, and MNR classes in school for preparation for IIT-JEE and NEET entrance exams. In addition, GEMS has partnered with the British Council, as a result of which NMS has become an IELTS Test Centre.  Students can register and take up the IELTS test in school, complemented with one hour free training and a mock test conducted by the British Council. 

What about Inclusion?

GEMS New Millennium School aims to be an inclusive school and offers specialist facilities and staff to support students with additional learning needs. Its provision and resources for students of determination were rated Good in the latest KHDA inspection. Approximately 150 students are classified as SEND (Students of Determination).

Facilities include a well-equipped Achievement Centre and Skills Development Room.  External Speech and Occupational Therapists visit the school on a weekly basis. Specialist staff include a SEN Coordinator and a Special Educator, together with a team of mentors.  A three-tier wave support system (based on group to one-to-one) supports children with differing abilities.   Uniquely, no additional fees are charged to parents whose children require such support.  The school also offers an ELL programme for non-English speakers.

What about Academic Achievement?

NMS, unlike many GEMS schools, did publish details of its first Grade 10 students' achievements in their CBSE Board Examinations, and provided a both Grade 12 and 10 results for the 2020.

For Grade 12 students, the batch average: 77% with a Science Stream average of 78%.  The Commerce Stream batch average was 76%. 11 students scored 90% and above. The school does not reveal the size of the batch so it is impossible to assess whether this is a significant number or not. 78% students scored 70% and above and 99% students scored 60% and above.

Grade 10 results for the same year showed a Batch Average of 83%, with 14 students scoring 90% and above. 100% of students have scored First Division in the five subject aggregate, and 94% of students have scored 71% and above.

Disappointingly, no results were published for 2021 and 2022 when exams were impacted by the Covid 19 pandemic and students were awarded assessed grades.

In 2022, the school revealed that its top-performing Grade 12 students were Shriyans Ganpate who was the overall school topper and Commerce Stream topper with 97.4%, whilst Manas Singh Bindra scored 95.8% in second place and Advik Unni scored 95.6%.

Results for the Grade 10 cohort placed Abhishek Narayan as School Topper with  97%, followed by Sumana Madichetty, with 96.4%, Gauri Menon with 96.2%, Meera Dinu Ramanthara who scored 96% and Dane George with a score of  94.6%.

However, without details of the Batch Average and the number of students broken down by percentile as per 2020, it is not possible to judge how well students performed overall.

We at WhichSchoolAdvisor.com would encourage NMS to make their full examination results public.  Whilst exam results are not the be-all and end-all of education, they remain a key component and parents and students inevitably want to know how well a school performs in this important context.

What about the facilities?

NMS occupies a large site and is located in what appears to be a traditional horse-shoe shaped three storey building in design terms - decidedly more modest than those of the GEMS Wellington Academy Al Khail and GEMS International School Al Khail which are located to the south of it.

As mentioned earlier, the single biggest issue in relation to the school's facilities is access and parking.  All three schools have worked together to stagger their hours and to ease the traffic congestion around the schools, but despite urging from the KHDA for the schools and the RTA to address the issues, a real solution has not yet been found. 

Read our review Visit Experience to find out more.

NMS offers a wide range of facilities and resources as would be expected in a premium-priced GEMS school.  These include Science Laboratories for Biology, Physics, and Chemistry, a Mathematics Lab, a Robotics Lab/Maker Space, a Black Box Drama studio, Dance Studios, a Music Technology suite, a Recording Studio, an ICT Suite - MAC Lab, an Arts & Creative Crafts Studio, Specialist Teaching/Language Rooms and a 500 seat Auditorium.  Sports facilities include a Multipurpose Sports Hall, Swimming pool, football turf, cricket pitches, tennis, shaded play area, rooftop play area and basketball courts.

What the Inspectors say

In the school's first KHDA report, NMS was ranked Good - the first CBSE curriculum school in Dubai to have achieved this rating on their first inspection. Subsequently NMS retained this rating for 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19.

As WhichSchoolAdvisor.com noted in our review of the 2018-19 inspection report, NMS was then very clearly a much better than Good school in many contexts.  This was supported by its achievement of a Very Good rating in the 2019-20 inspection round, a feat that was repeated in the most recent 2022-23 inspection process.

In terms of the strengths of the school, the DSIB inspection team found these to be:

• The inspirational principal and strong leadership team ensure that students’ wellbeing and academic achievements are at the heart of this inclusive school.
• Students’ achieve very good attainment and progress in most subjects and there are many opportunities for students to excel in the performing arts.
• The nurturing introduction to education provided for children in the Kindergarten, leads to outstanding personal development.
• There are very close partnerships with parents and also excellent arrangements for keeping students safe and promoting healthy lifestyles.
• There is a vibrant curriculum with a very wide range of extra-curricular activities, providing students with a rich variety of learning experiences.

As far as areas of improvement are concerned, the inspection team recommended that the school should:

• Enhance children’s learning in the Kindergarten by firmly embedding more child-centred teaching strategies.
• Improve the quality of support for students of determination by:
  o developing more effective procedures for the early identification and assessment of students’ needs;
  o ensuring that specialist staffing is sufficient to support students’ learning in all phases of the school.

If you would like to read the full KHDA inspection report - and we strongly advise you to do so in order to understand the reasons behind the ratings - you will find it here.

The Buzz

The WhichSchoolAdvisor.com Parent Survey has received too few responses to make it a reliable tool to gauge parent opinion. 

If you are a Parent, Teacher or Student at GEMS New Millennium School, please share your experiences with other potential members of your community by taking our survey here. 

In a change to the inspection process this year, the inspection report no longer includes the feedback from parents and students who may have taken part on the pre-inspection survey. 

Instead a new performance standard has been introduced which rates the Quality of Wellbeing provision and outcomes. NMS achieved a High rating, one below Very High, the top rating.

The rating was based on the following assessments by the inspection team:

• Leaders communicate and pursue a shared vision of a learning which cultivates social, emotional, and physical wellbeing. A dedicated wellbeing framework strongly guides the school’s improvement plan. The wellbeing team, comprised of students, parents and ambassadors regularly surveys the school community. Senior leaders and governors systematically review wellbeing programmes, and generally ensure accountability. Information from the Dubai Student Wellbeing Census and other information sources are used to plan for, and monitor wellbeing improvement. Improved provision to promote the wellbeing of students of determination remains an important priority. 
• The school counsellor works closely with the leads of each phase, the wellbeing team, and the inclusion team to plan and to oversee the provision of individualised care, guidance and support for students and their parents. Variable provision for students of determination results in their uneven access to wellbeing development opportunities. Staff are encouraged to share concerns and are listened to. Their feedback is welcomed, and actions are taken to promote their wellbeing. 
• Wellbeing themes are embedded in lessons and wellbeing assessment information informs lesson planning which usually leads to enhanced wellbeing experiences for students. At times, for the youngest learners, minimal opportunity for spontaneity and exploration limited their wellbeing experiences. The safety and safeguarding of all students are prioritised extensively through detailed policies and systematic procedures. Healthy lifestyles are encouraged through targeted programmes and are evident in the choices students make. Students feel safe and are highly engaged at school, consistently demonstrating very positive attitudes and behaviour. 

Our View

There is no doubt that NMS is a school on the rise, but has not yet reached the same level as the original The Millennium School, which clearly has the potential to be one of the few Indian curriculum schools within the GEMS group that appears to have the potential to reach the lofty heights of GEMS Modern Academy - the only Outstanding rated Indian(though notably CISCE) curriculum school in the city.

However, The Millennium School has had over 20 years to achieve its level of provision and attainment.  NMS still has time to catch up!

What about the Fees?

Fees start at AED 18,188 for pre-KG, AED 21,397 from KG1 to Grade 2, AED 23,536 for Grades 3 and 4, AED 28,886 from Grades 5 to 8, AED 29,955 for Grades 9 and 10, and AED 31,025 for Grades 11 and 12, making it currently among the most expensive CBSE schools in Dubai.   There is a registration fee of AED 500 and a deposit of AED 1,000 (refundable against the first term's fees) once a place is offered.

For balance, there is a return from those fees - the factual details we have mentioned, but there are more intangibles, like Day Boarding, that for many parents will mean that New Millennium is actually value for money.  And the option to study the UK curriculum at this level of fees - provided that the subject options available are broad enough - makes this school and incredibly good deal for this alternative option.

This school is in a Best School by parents ranking

GEMS New Millennium School is a Best of school, a ranking determined by parent surveys on the site. It can be found in the following Best of rankings:

• #159 in Best Schools in the UAE
• #18 in Best Indian Schools in Dubai
• #16 in Best CBSE Schools in Dubai
• #33 in Best A Level Schools in Dubai
• #58 in Best British Schools in Dubai
• #102 in Best Schools in Dubai

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