Welcome to the South View School official Q and A page. Here we ask the questions, and the school answers directly. It is its chance to have its say on specific areas you have told us you want to know about. If you think there are additional questions we should be asking you may contact us here.

If you have to highlight three strengths of your school, what would they be?

1) A personal approach to educating children - understanding individual and family context.

2) Fitting the educational experience to the child and not the other way around.

3) Ensure fun, positivity and happiness play a key role in what we do.

What is the single biggest challenge your school is currently addressing?

Avoiding placing further financial stresses on parents in light of rising costs.

Does your school have a waiting list? In which years?

We currently have availability in most year groups although the EYFS and lower primary phases are almost full.

What are qualities and characteristics that define your school and its students?

Curiosity

Kindness

Honesty

Hard, smart work

Respect for self and each other

How many nationalities are represented in your school? How international would you say your school is?

76

Are there high proportions of a particular nationality?

Around

What is the teacher: student ratio in your school?

1:21 as an average with lower ratios in EYFS and Secondary phases.

Please describe your approach to teacher recruitment in terms of the balance of staff you seek in terms of nationalities and in terms of years of experience/ qualifications you look for. Please also provide details of how you use teaching assistants.

As an international British school, our focus is on proven skills and relevant experience rather than nationality. That said, the majority of our teacher staff hold UK or Irish passports.

If external examinations and assessments are part of your curriculum, which ones do you offer?

We currently offer IGCSE and GCSE and we will offer A level and a vocational, BTech based course for the post-16 phase from August 2024.

Please provide details of how well your school did in its previous external exams for students at 16 and at 18 years of age? Please provide sufficient detail to allow parents to have a view on how academic your school is?

Our first examinations will be held in the Summer of 2023.

Describe your school's approach to education and teaching?

Child centred, research based teaching and learning is the best description of our approach. Offering a robust the UK curriculum, tailored to the international cohort has been necessary based on our location and demographic.

Do you develop independent learning through homework and, if so, what are your recommendations regarding this, particularly time spent on homework?

Yes. Homework is delivered based on extension of learning, curiosity and is varied in form. This is necessary to be effective and is against the more traditional approach of volume = greater success. We take a more sophisticated approach to homework using it to embed knowledge and skills as well as to fuel curiosity and deeper learning.

Physical education and sport is an important aspect of a healthy lifestyle. How does your school ensure children engage in physical activity?

At South View School, we seek to educate and develop the whole child, and Physical Education forms an integral part of the whole school curriculum and the activities programme. It allows students to develop physically, socially, emotionally, and cognitively. They learn to work as part of the team, to recognize the abilities of others and to have an enjoyable learning experience as well as compete with other schools. We currently offer:

Football

Swimming (2 pools on site)

Basketball

Badminton

Tennis

Rugby

Netball

With plans to further expand our portfolio in the 2022-2023 academic year.

How does your school promote healthy lifestyles?

Through awareness campaigns and the pastoral teaching programme.

How do you promote healthy eating?

Our Healthy Eating Policy details this as well as our onsite canteen provider who is required to provide a healthy range of food to eat. They do this well.

Does the school have cafeteria facilities for the students? How does it promote a balanced diet?

Our Canteen provides healthy school meal options and is being expanded (doubled) in size for August 2022. A range of foods is offered that are required to be healthy and tasty. A Breakfast Club is being launched in the new year to provide a healthy breakfast and supervised reading time.

What is the approximate average cost of a lunchtime meal?

AED 15

What is the starting and finishing time of your school day?

The school gates open at 0720 hrs.

The EYFS school day ends at 1300 hrs with the Junior School finishing at 1430 hrs

and the Senior School ending at 1500 hrs. Activities are then on offer from 1545 hrs with free and paid options available.

Is there a school uniform?

School uniform is compulsory for all students at South View School. The uniform changes as students progress through the school, and is designed to be comfortable and durable for our youngest children whilst also being smart. The uniform for our older students is designed to provide them with a sense of pride in their appearance and also their school. The full list of uniform requirements are available on our website.

Please advise on your discipline policy?

At South View School we have a Behaviour Policy that is followed by all members of staff. The Policy is communicated to all Students and Parents at the beginning of the academic year.

How do you feedback progress and attainment to students and parents?

At South View School, we believe that parents have a fundamental role to play in helping their child's learning journey to be successful. A positive relationship needs to be formed between Parents, Students and Teachers. This triangulated partnership is the key to successful learning.

All students will be set individuals targets and their attainment and progress will be tracked at regular intervals throughout the school year. We will provide regular feedback to parents.

Throughout the academic year, we will be running workshops, parent-consultations, open classrooms and many other events to provide parents with the information and skills they require to play an active role in the child's learning.

How often is the more formal feedback such as reports and parent/teacher meetings?

Three formal reports and two parent evenings a year in addition to more specific events such as "Coffee in the Classroom. " Academic Tutoring Day, Options Evenings, etc.

Which languages are taught at your school - please detail any as a first as well as second language?

English (First and Second Language)

Arabic (First and Second Language)

Spanish (Second Language)

French (Second Language)

Do you offer EAL or TEFL support for those students where English is not their first language?

We have a specialist EAL Coordinator for children who need additional English support. This ranges from in-class support to withdrawal sessions.

Do you offer a dedicated prayer room/s for students? For which faiths?

We have two prayer rooms that are mostly used by Muslim students but are multi-faith in design.

How do you support gifted, able and talented students?

We have a Gifted and Talented Programme for high performing children with contingency in the curriculum design for additional challenge and modification to be made to the mainstream curriculum.

Do you have a learning support team in your school?

All students with Special Educational Needs and Determination are supported by our Inclusive Education Action Team and the curriculum is adapted to suit their learning needs and requirements. The inclusive Education Action Team aim to work with the students, their parents, their teachers and any outside specialist to ensure that each child fulfills their true potential in an environment in which diversity is respected.

Not all schools are staffed or resourced to offer learning support to those children with either moderate or significant learning needs. To what level can you offer support for those with learning differences?

We have a trained team of experienced Inclusion Teachers backed by a larger team of Learning Support Assistants who are trained in house to support children with 2 being certified internationally.

Does your school have particular expertise in dealing with a specific learning need such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, aspergers syndrome and so forth?

The predominant areas for support currently are Dyslexia and Autism and these form the focus of the support we offer. That said, we cater for a range of additional needs on an individual basis.

Does your school have an educational psychologist or access to one to assess and support those youngsters with more challenging learning and emotional needs?

We have a trained and certified Counselor and a strong relationship with a number of Child Psychologists that we utilize enhanced assessment and support.

Do you have a parents’ group supporting the school?

We have Class Reps in the Junior School with plans to expand this framework further in the 2022-2023 Academic year.

Is there an opportunity for parental representation on your school Board of Governors?

Yes, our Board of Governors have a parent representative.

Do you offer specific activities, events or information sessions for those parents new to the school and/or area?

We do both at the start of the school year and throughout for later joiners. This is being further enhanced for Sep 22.