Located in close to Nad Al Sheba at the still under development Sheikh Mohammed bin Maktoum City, Hartland International School was developed by Sobha Developments to provide a premium UK curriculum school for residents but now attracts families from around the city.

The story so far...

The arrival of Fiona Cottam in 2016 (formerly of GEMS Education and a highly-regarded Principal of its KHDA Outstanding-rated Jumeirah College) was a turning point for Hartland International School. Today Hartland International performs quietly and efficiently - for the most part delivering on its original promise – for the school's students, leaders, management, and its parents.

Hartland's Vision is "To create a leading British international school, through a unique blend of traditional values and innovative approaches to education."

Its Mission statement notes that "We will create a community of learning within a safe, secure and happy environment where our children are inspired, challenged and supported in all they do. Our passion for learning and teaching will light a fire in the hearts and minds of our students, as will our warmth, humanity and transparency. Student achievement will be limitless and they will leave with the confidence and capability that will equip them for every facet of adult life as a global citizen. Students will be aware of their indebtedness to society and the nature and responsibility of their privilege."

It seems from parental and inspection feedback, that Hartland is well on the way to achieving both.  In 2022, it was announced that Hartland has been awarded an Outstanding rating by British Schools Overseas, an inspectorate set up by the UK Government's Department of Education to accredit international schools following the English National Curriculum.

First impressions of Hartland International School can probably best be rounded up as “Impressive” though still somewhat “Isolated”. Located close to the Al Khail and Al Ain roads, the school can be a little difficult to reach, but a turn off by the Quarantine stables at Nad Al Sheba before Meydan leads the way through a vast desert area to the school.

Part of the Mohammed bin Rashid development and owned by Sobha, an Indian group active in the Gulf for many years, Hartland International School certainly stands out among the sand and has been surrounded by trees and greenery to good effect. The buildings are white and designed in groups of grassed quadrangles, with the front of the school featuring 3 protruding glass and steel prongs into which the Foundation, Primary and Secondary sections of the school are arranged.

Check out and see what we saw during our second Experience visit to Hartland International School here.  

The Sobha Group is committed to education and has shown this both through a charity school that it has operated in India for a number of years and the development of its first education venture in the UAE.

Now open from FS1 to Year 12, numbers have grown slowly but steadily to just over 1000 students in 2021-22.  The advantage of these relatively low student numbers compared to capacity, however, is a teacher to student ratio of 1:8 - among the lowest in the city and ensuring that students receive very personalised attention. Currently there are children from 65 nationalities in the school, a very multicultural community, where the largest nationality groups are British (12%), US (6%), Australian (6%), Indian (6%) and South African (5%).

Most year groups have four classes, with an equal mix of boys and girls across the school. The average class size is 20, though this number may increase to a maximum of 24. Students are supported by close to 90, mainly British, teachers, a further 30 teaching assistants and a Guidance Counsellor.  Staff are evidently happy at Hartland, with a low turnover rate of 10% - half the average for international schools in the UAE. 

Hartland prides itself on its staffing, informing WhichSchoolAdvisor.com that "there is a real balance and strength across the school with significant numbers of highly experienced staff. Importantly, there are also teachers who are the start of their career who bring new ideas and new approaches. This balance and blend is crucial to our success." 

At its heart of the staff is their leader, Mrs. Fiona Cottam, an inspirational Principal.

What about the curriculum?

Hartland is accredited by COBIS - the Council for British International Schools - ensuring a commitment to offering a genuine UK education, and also by the National Association for Able Children in Education (NACE), reflecting the school's original promise to support children with Gifts and Talents. 

The school offers the English National Curriculum from FS to Year 11 (the second year of the two year iGCSE programme), but had previously taken the decision to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme for Years 12 and 13 (Sixth Form). 

However, recent news suggests a rethink in this context, with approval being sought from the KHDA to continue with the UK curriculum and to offer A Levels.

After a number of UK curriculum schools (notably Jumeirah English Speaking School Arabian Ranches and Repton Dubai - both rated Outstanding by the KHDA) decided on the IB Diploma Programme, the option of an all-through UK curriculum seemed to have stalled somewhat in Dubai. However, Dubai College,  Dubai British School Emirates Hills, Dubai English Speaking College, GEMS Jumeirah College and Kings School Al Barsha - all KHDA-rated Outstanding - have retained their focus on A Levels.

Adding Hartland to this mix could make for an interesting and attractive option for families living further afield from Al Barsha, Al Safa and Al Sufouh.  The nationality mix of students, together with the fact that neighbouring North London Collegiate School - under the same ownership - had already committed to the IB curriculum - may well have influenced the direction that Hartland has now chosen to take.  

English and Arabic are taught as the required core curriculum from Foundation Stage. In Year 2, students study a carousel of languages during the year which include French, German, Mandarin and Spanish. Students then choose one of these as an elective in Year 3. In the secondary phase, students add an additional fourth language to their options and Italian is also added to the options available. 

But it is “The Hartland Way” that we felt really distinguished this school, beyond the modern buildings and resources.

'The Hartland Way' is a philosophy of teaching and interaction with the children that leads them to become “self-learners”. We were told the school sees its role not so much as to teach children, but rather to give them the skills to be able to learn and to become independent in this learning process.

Classroom assistants are referred to as Learning Assistants to emphasise that this is their role. The curriculum is built as a jigsaw, with each element relating to the next, so that no subject is taught in isolation and without reference to other subjects or topics.

Staff are encouraged to teach through meaning and context and follow the Unit of Enquiry concept common to the IB curriculum, but increasingly being adopted by progressive UK curriculum schools, where the approach is cross-curricular rather than siloed single subject learning. Often the teacher will pose a problem and through this, children will find out about the subject themselves with guidance from staff. This enables children to develop their literacy and communications skills and to develop the art of effective questioning – a pre-cursor to “flipping the classroom”, where students are responsible for researching their topic outside of the classroom and then presenting it wearing the mantle of the expert.

“The Hartland Way” also ensures that children not only receive the academic input from the school, but also grow into responsible individuals with a strong sense of moral value. Every child receives a passport (the Hartland passport) which contains a targeted set of core values and behaviours (as well as academic goals), which students will retain throughout their time at the school. As they show their capabilities and activities to support their achievement of the targets to staff, so they are rewarded through the issue of “visas” in their passport that enable them to benefit from specific incentives.

Hartland also organises regular coffee morning and workshops for parents about specific ways in which subjects (such as Maths, Reading, Arabic) are taught and how they can support this at home.

Previously, the school had also placed strong emphasis on its Enrichment Programme of extra-curricular activities. During the current pandemic, the enrichment programme is minimal. However, when regulations permit, the standard offering is over 100 enrichment classes and clubs, many of which are delivered by outside expert providers at no additional cost to parents.

The Hartland Enrichment Programme is carefully designed to offer a wide range of choices including academic, creative and sporting options. The programme enhances students’ skills in a wide range of areas encouraging them to have as much fun as possible while developing their confidence, creative skills and analytical thinking. The school's aim is to ignite new passions as well as extending existing interests and building skills to support future success.

Students spend up to four hours a week pursuing a wide array of activities that encourage them to build on current talents or develop new ones. The school works with teachers and third-party providers to ensure the provision is of the highest quality and the outcomes are not just measurable but meaningful as well. Almost all the activities on offer are included in the tuition fees.  Additional international visits are also part of the programme and include Duke of Edinburgh International Award, ski trips, cultural and voluntary service trips. The costs are variable and dependent on trip and content and are all individually proceed.

What about academic achievement?

Hartland International School is also very serious about achieving academic success and communicating with parents to ensure that they, too, are fully involved and committed to their children’s education. Baseline testing and reporting is carried out at the start of the academic year and parents receive a weekly update in relation to progress. Prior to parent-teacher meetings, parents are also asked to complete a questionnaire on their expectations and goals for their children and these are translated into the “hopes and dreams” against which progress is measured alongside the UK SAT (standard testing) programmes.  

The school places great emphasis on providing value-added academic success to students and supports this through an extensive Gifted and Talented programme for the most able which is structured to provide adequate stretch for the more-able students. There are also strong EAL (English as an Additional Language) who are registered and targeted on a one to one basis with an EAL teacher in place of Modern Foreign Language classes.

What about provision for students of determination?

For children with special educational needs, the schools works with parents (and therapists where required) to provide an integrated and inclusive approach, with the provision of an Individual Education Plan to staff working with each child, that provides an overview of the most appropriate learning strategies. The school meets with, and shares policies and practices with both parents and shadow staff.

Students are supported not only by their class teachers during lessons but also by a cohesive staff team that puts the child at the centre. The Inclusion Team is expert in guiding students and parents and SEND resources are provisioned to cater to children with a broad set of needs. The school has high expectations in terms of effort, commitment, behaviour and appearance, but all of this within a caring and supportive environment.

There are 9 fully qualified Inclusion teachers on staff, including SEND, EAL and Gifted &Talented. There is no additional cost to parents for support by this in-house team. However, in some cases, where a one-to-one shadow teacher is required and recommended, parents do cover that cost of specialist support

What about the Facilities?

The facilities of Hartland International School, (together with Management, Staffing and Resources) were rated Outstanding in the first Inspection report. Certainly no expense seems to have been spared in creating a learning environment with the best of facilities and resources. The Foundation and years 1-3 classrooms are located on the ground floor. Classrooms are colourful and corridors are decorated with murals. Furniture is bright and appropriate. Each classroom has access to external play and learning areas and there is also a very large soft play area for use during warmer weather.

One of the highlights of the school is the Junior Library which contains 8,500 books. An Arabian Tower at the centre reminds children of the local culture and during their weekly library period, they are able to enjoy reading, sat on soft, tactile seating, surrounded by curved book cases, which makes this such an attractive environment.

Years 4, 5 and 6 are housed on the first floor of the school and children are divided into tutor groups of approximately 12 children. They meet together with their tutor for 2 registration periods per day, but spend the rest of their time moving from one classroom and lesson to another (as is the usual arrangement in Secondary school), with differentiated learning applied within the groups.

Science rooms and IT rooms (offering IT/coding and digital citizenship and Lego mind-storm activity), as well as Food Technology, a Dance studio and Blackbox room, ensure that children are able to participate in a wide range of learning activities, both as part of the core curriculum and also the Enrichment activities.

Further facilities include a vast Auditorium, a canteen serving hot meals that is shared by teachers and children together, a Sports Hall where technology is integrated into the teaching through swipe boards that explain the activity or task to be undertaken, a 25 meter swimming pool with touch-pad technology and a smaller 90cm deep pool for beginners. In addition to the usual classrooms, there are also a range of specialist rooms for Music, Art and Languages. Music rooms offer a wide range of instruments, as well as a recording studio and music technology suite. 

Hartland is still a small school in terms of student numbers, and in some parts, the school is somewhat empty, but we very much hope its committed parents will help it grow and ultimately flourish. In terms of location, facilities, resources – and the mission and philosophy laid out - this is a school that could well be a guiding light for schools in the region.

What the inspectors say

Hartland's third KHDA/DSIB inspection took place in November 2019. After two previous years with a Good rating, though there were clear signs that the school was well on the way to a Very Good rating in the second report, the third DSIB inspection has confirmed the ongoing improvement process taking place at the school with the award of a Very Good rating for the 2019-20 academic year.

Inspectors singled out the best aspects of Hartland as:

• The very strong progress made by students in each phase in English, mathematics and science and the very high levels they achieve in English, mathematics, science and social studies;
• The rich and stimulating curriculum in each phase and its adaptation to meet the needs of all students;
• The strong leadership of the principal and other senior and middle leaders, and the outstanding links and involvement with parents and the wider community;
• The impact of teachers and leaders on continuously improving students’ positive outcomes;
• The school’s strong focus on students’ welfare and health and safety.

Inspectors found that in terms of Student Achievement, both attainment and progress have improved in mathematics and science. "These are now very strong across the school in English, mathematics and science. In Islamic education, students make acceptable progress and achieve acceptable levels. In Arabic as a first and additional language, students make acceptable progress in each phase." Students' learning skills were also found to be Very Good across all sections of the school.

Overall, attainment and progress in all three core English-led subjects are now rated Very Good, whilst ratings for Arabic and Islamic Studies are almost entirely rated Acceptable.  However, Arabic attainment in the Secondary school for native speakers has fallen to Weak - something that the school will clearly need to focus on in the coming year. 

Students' personal development was identified as a particular strength across the school in the 2018-19 inspection and remained rated Outstanding for 2019-20. Social responsibility and innovation skills had improved to at least Very Good and were found to be Outstanding in the Secondary section.

Students were found to be "responsible and self-reliant and have friendly, caring and respectful relationships with their peers and teachers." Their attitudes to work were described by the inspectors as mature, and they increasingly demonstrate initiative and entrepreneurial skills. Inspectors commented that "Students have exceptional attitudes and behaviour across all phases."

Teaching for effective learning, which have a fundamental impact on Student Achievement, is now rated Very Good across the school, whilst assessment processes to enable individualised attention remained Very Good in the FS section, and Good in the remainder of the school.  This will be another area of focus for staff going forward, particularly among staff teaching the Ministry of Education curriculum.

The curriculum is a further strength at Hartland and is now rated Very Good across the school.  The inspection team noted that the curriculum has a clear rationale, that it is regularly reviewed and complies with the requirements of the English Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and National Curriculum for England. Staff were found to have adapted it very well to meet the international character of the school. The extra-curricular provision has been extended, supporting the mainstream curriculum in promoting cross-curricular links and catering very well for students’ ambitions, interests and talents.

Health and Safety arrangements were found to be Outstanding. Medical and counselling staff provide high quality care and support for students. Students show considerable loyalty and affection for their school.  They feel safe and well cared for. Students of determination are identified promptly and receive a wide range of very effective support.

Students with additional learning needs are supported by the committed inclusion team, together with the inclusion governor, who assign a high priority to inclusion. Well-qualified inclusion support staff are deployed flexibly across all phases to provide effective support for students with a wide range of learning needs. Students’ needs are identified accurately and quickly.  However, support by class teachers, although mostly good, is more variable,especially in Islamic education and Arabic and in some primary classes. The provision of consistent challenge for students with gifts and talents was found by inspectors to be a rapidly developing focus in the school.

Hartland's senior team clearly continued to impress the inspectors.  They noted that the school "is led very well by the principal and an exceptionally strong team of senior and middle leaders. They communicate very well the vision of providing a high-quality, inclusive education which embraces the UAE’s national priorities. They have a very good knowledge of best educational practices and promote innovation well."

Governors were found to support the school well. Membership of the board includes representatives of the school’s owners, staff and parents.  The Management, Staffing, Facilities and Resources were rated Very Good. Teachers are provided with good quality professional development experiences. The premises and facilities support social and sport activities very well. The resources available for teaching and learning are of a high quality and are well-matched to the curriculum requirements. 

However, the inspection team found that "the timetabling of some Islamic education and Arabic classes is problematic, resulting in not all staff being qualified to teach their subjects."  This is an issue that the school will need to rectify and results in a downgrade from Outstanding in the rating for this specific key performance indicator.

In terms of areas of improvement, the Inspectors asked Hartland to focus on:

• Accelerate students’ progress and raise their attainment in Islamic education and Arabic by improving the use of assessment to enhance teaching in these subjects;
• Appoint fully-qualified staff to teach all Islamic Education classes;
• Improve students’ knowledge of Islamic values and the impact of these on life in the UAE;
• Accelerate the progress students of determination make in mainstream classes;
• Improve the impact of the governing body on monitoring the performance of the school.
  
  

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

Overall, the third inspection at Hartland International School has clearly been a positive one.  The challenge now will be to raise the level of attainment and progress and other key indicators a step further, if the school is to achieve its next goal on the road to improvement.  

In common with all UAE private and public schools, Hartland participated in a Distance Learning Evaluation designed to assess the provision of online teaching as a result of the Covid 19 pandemic.  The school achieved an overall rating of Developed - the highest of three possible options - and 12 of the 13 indicators also received the highest rating. The report can be found here.

In early 2022, in common with a number of UK curriculum schools located in the UAE, and in light of the lack of physical school inspections since 2019 as a result of the pandemic, Hartland International was inspected by a team on behalf of British Schools Overseas.  BSO inspections are recognised by the UK Government's Department of Education and are designed to measure the performance of ENC schools internationally in terms of their provision based on the DoE's requirements.  Inspections are graded on four ratings. Hartland International achieved the highest Outstanding rating across all performance standards. 

The BSO report can be found here.

The Buzz

According to feedback from parents to the WhichSchoolAdvisor.com survey, 73% of students enjoy going to school 'a tremendous amount' whilst a further 13% enjoy school 'quite a lot'.  Two thirds of parents agree that fees represent value for money, whilst a further 27% agree for the most part. Whilst just over a quarter (27%) had considered moving their children to another school (against a UAE average of 34%), 73% had not. 80% are totally satisfied with the academic performance of the school.  And a remarkable 87% would recommend Hartland to other parents.

If you are a parent, teacher or student at Hartland International School and would like to share your experience with other potential members of your community, please do so by taking our Survey here.

The 2019-20 KHDA inspection team had very positive views on the relationship between the school and its parent body, noting that

"Parental engagement is at the heart of the school community. Parents are fully involved as partners in their children’s learning and are influential in defining priorities for the school. Parents value the extensive range of extra-curricular opportunities offered to families and the school’s commitment to inclusive practice. Parents believe that the leadership of the school is very effective, and they appreciate the school’s communication and reporting systems." 

This comes as no surprise to us at WhichSchoolAdvisor.com. During our first visit to the school, we met a group of parents who had just attended a workshop and were enjoying a refreshment from the coffee shop that is available in the main lobby. They had nothing but enthusiastic comments to make about the school and its staff, many of whom were singled out for their inspirational information sessions. Hartland organises regular coffee morning and workshops for parents about specific ways in which subjects (such as Maths, Reading, Arabic) are taught and how they can support this at home.

A growing number of parent groups have formed to take charge of activities around the school including the establishment of a Library Club, and Parent reading sessions for Foundation children.

Some 227 parents responded to the KHDA's pre-inspection survey, and the vast majority of them declared themselves satisfied with the quality of education provided by the school and felt that their views are valued and welcomed. They reported that their children learn well in a safe and supportive environment. Relationships between students and staff are very good, and students respect and help each other.

58 students from the Secondary school participated in the KHDA Student Well-being Survey. The results showed that "almost all students who responded to the survey very highly value the adults at school. Most students feel a strong sense of engagement and connection to school life. They feel safe and have established friendship networks and a strong sense of academic confidence. Almost all participate in organised activities after school."

Our View

WhichSchoolAdvisor.com has been impressed by Hartland International School from its first day of opening.  And it has continued to impress.  Whilst its location may not be ideal for everyone (access can be a little tricky and roundabout), the team at the school and notably the current Principal and the original Founding Principal and their hand-picked staff, had such high ambition, and the credibility and experience to deliver, that we were convinced that Hartland International School would be something special...and, in our opinion, it has grown into something that is. 

Hartland is still a small school in terms of student numbers (around 55% of capacity), and in some parts, the school is still rather empty, but we very much hope its committed parents will help it to continue to grow and flourish. In terms of location, facilities, resources – and the mission and philosophy laid out - this is a school that could well be a guiding light for schools in the region.

What about the Fees?

Fees at Hartland International School are premium.  However, in August 2020 the school announced a revised discounted fee structure which will remain valid throughout the time that a child attends the school.

Fees are still premium but reflect a significantly more competitive premium school landscape. Revised fees now start at AED 41,000 in FS1, rising to AED 46,000 in FS2.  Fees then increase to AED 49,800 for Years 1 and 2, AED 54,000 for Years 3 and 4 and to AED 56,000 for Years 5 and 6.  Secondary fees commence at AED 70.000 for Years 7 to 9, rising to AED 74,000 for Years 10 and 11 and AED 78,000 for Years 12 and 13. 

Previous discounts, other than the sibling discount, Early Pay Discount and the Referral Discount, no longer apply. 

This school is in a Best School by parents ranking

Hartland International 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:

• #6 in Best Schools in the UAE
• #2 in Best Premium Schools in Dubai
• #2 in Best Premium British Schools in Dubai
• #3 in Best British Schools in Dubai
• #5 in Best Schools in Dubai

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