A GEMS Education, CBSE curriculum-based school, The Millennium School, Dubai is home to approximately 2,800 mixed gender students, aged three to 18 (KG to Grade 12). Students are currently exclusively of Indian heritage.

The Story so Far...

Currently having entered its 23rd year of operation in September 2022, The Millennium School (TMS) has had plenty of time to bed down, and has performed consistently since 2015-16, achieving a Very Good rating from Dubai's education regulator, the KHDA, for six inspections in a row.

The Vision of TMS is "To nurture the potential of our pupils and inspire them to be mindful global citizens."

Its Mission states "The Millennium School:

• Creates opportunities to empower individual capabilities and be in the forefront of innovative practices that lead to sustainable development.
• Appreciates and respects the local culture, traditions and sensibilities of the United Arab Emirates while bearing an international outlook.
• Reaches out to all through a spirit of caring and uprightness of character and encourages diversity of thought while affirming the dignity of all individuals.
• Engages students to be curious and transforms their minds to be visionaries, seekers of excellence and life-long learners.
• Stimulates students to be confident, self-aware leaders and independent problem-solvers in an intellectually challenging environment that fosters creativity".

With close to 2,800 students, the school currently employs 166 teachers and 25 teaching assistants.  In the past, staff turnover has been something of a challenge with an average turnover between 17% and 21 % - average for international schools in Dubai but decidedly on the high side for an Indian school.  In 2022, this figure had fallen to 12%.  The school has a student to teacher ratio of 17:1, good to average for a Dubai based Indian curriculum school. Class sizes average approximately 35 students..

The school is led by Principal, Ambika Gulati, who joined TMS in April 2018 and has clearly been influential in the school's continued Very Good performance.  Teachers are recruited from India, and Arabic teachers from Egypt. Most teachers are either graduates or post graduates. Almost all teachers have a B.Ed.

What about the curriculum?

The school follows the CBSE curriculum. Students are entered for a variety of national and international examinations including the AISSCE (All India Senior Secondary Examination) in Grade 12 and AISSE (All India Secondary School Certificate Examination) in Grade 10.

The Kindergarten methodology interweaves the Early Years curriculum, based on the UK curriculum-based EYFS framework and the very creative approach of Reggio Emilia. 

The KG is rated Outstanding by the KHDA for its provision and outcomes.

The curriculum is differentiated to meet the needs of all learners and taught in a logical progression so that children build on prior learning.  A topic-based approach to learning is designed to recognize the prior learning by providing first-hand learning experiences and allowing children to develop interpersonal skills, build resilience and become creative, critical thinkers to enable them to challenge themselves.  

As with each section of the school, KG students benefit from a Curriculum Enhancement Programme, which is a varied learning programme, an extension to kindergarten learning that helps develop and enhance a child’s imagination and creativity, generate new ideas through creative thinking, tap their innermost potential and help form a strong basic foundation to childhood.  The KCEP programme includes dramatic play, creativity, dance and movement, music, gross and fine motor skills and many forms of literacy play. 

As students move into the Primary section, the subject delivery becomes more single subject focused. Core subjects include English, Maths, Science, UAE Social Studies, Arabic, Islamic Education, Second language (Hindi, French or Malayalam), Moral Education, ICT, Visual Arts and Performing Arts.

Primary students are often taught outside of their classrooms through hands-on investigations in the ICE Center (Innovate- Create-Explore) which are based on the Triple A Pedagogy (Acquire, assimilate and apply).  Primary students also participate in 'Genius Hour' which is a period within the timetable where students brain storm collaboratively on an array of problems and devise solutions. 

Building on the Curriculum Enhancement Programme of the KG, Skill Up programmes for Primary, Middle and Secondary offer a range of activities and clubs designed to offer opportunities to develop all capacities of students – intellectual, aesthetic, social, physical, emotional and moral - in an integrated manner. Clubs and activities range from drama to a variety of sports students can get involved in. Most students express satisfaction with the range of extracurricular activities the school offers.

In Middle School, from Grades 6 to 8, core subjects include English, Maths, Science, Social Studies, UAE Social Studies, Arabic, Islamic Education, Second language (Hindi, French or Malayalam), Moral Education, ICT, Visual Arts and Performing Arts and Physical Education. 

Once students enter the Senior grades from 9 to 12, the focus in very much on the CBSE examinations.  Subjects include English, Maths, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Home Science, Computer Science, Social Studies, UAE Social Studies, Arabic, Islamic Education, Second language (Hindi, French or Malayalam), Moral Education, Psychology, Painting, and Physical Education. For those students wishing to follow the Commerce stream, subjects include Accountancy, Business Studies, Economics, Entrepreneurship, Marketing. 

In addition to the academic and co-curricular activities, students are actively encouraged to participate in a range of sports both for fitness and at a competitive level. Students from TMA represent the UAE at the CBSE nationals in swimming, athletics, football, kabbadi, badminton, basketball, table tennis, tennis, and gymnastics.

What about support for students of Determination and those with Gifts and Talents do? 

The Millennium School employs a team of Counselors/Special Educators across the school in charge of specific levels. According to information from the school all teachers can identify SEN students with the help of base line checklist. Frequent meetings are held between teachers and Counselors to develop Independent Learning Programs (ILPs) and Individual Education Plans (IEPs).

The provision and outcomes for students of Determination is rated Very Good by the KHDA's inspectors.

What about Academic Achievement?

TMS provides Topper information on the website and downloadable files for the most recent published results.

At Grade 12, 45.1% of students achieved 90% or above in 2021-22 (the highest within GEMS Education). This is compared with 45.2% achieved in the 2018-19 examinations, which were the last to be taken under exam conditions as a result of the Covid 19 pandemic, when assessed grades were awarded to all students in 2019-20 and 2020-21.   

For the same period, the Grade 10 school average was 84.6%.  37.4% of students achieved 90% or above (the second highest among GEMS schools). 

School leavers predominantly head to universities in the US and the UK, and Millennium School, Dubai actively facilitates university entrance, getting involved with documentation procedures, Information Fairs for choice of universities and counselling workshops for psychometric testing.

What are the Facilities?

TMS occupies a substantial modern four floor building with reasonable outdoor space. Specialist facilities or resources include a Library, lap top trolleys, Computer labs, a Voice  Lab, Art Room, Primary Music Room and Dance & Movement Room. There are separate science laboratories for practical sessions in Physics, Chemistry, Home Science and Biology.

Zone Millenia, The ICE Center (Innovate, Create & Explore Center) and Play Pen are well equipped and child friendly exploratory rooms for the students of the Kindergarten and Primary School.

The school has two basketball courts, a tennis court, a turfed football field, a swimming pool,a learner pool and an indoor multi-purpose hall.

However, it is perhaps unsurprising that the KHDA inspection report notes that  A lack of learning space in most classrooms and other environments hinders movement, especially for creative, investigative and inquiry-based learning.

It is difficult to see how GEMS can address these issues, given the demand for the school and the class sizes in terms of student numbers, and the fee level of the school which is very affordable.

What the inspectors say.

The school's inspection reports are highly positive in nature, noting high levels of attainment throughout the school in mathematics, English and science.  Whilst the KG, Primary and Senior school are rated Outstanding, the Middle school is rated Very Good. Inspectors are also complimentary about the behaviour of students, noting that they display commendable traits of self-reliance and self-discipline.

However, it is evident that TMS does far more than focus on the academics. The inspectors commented "The promotion of healthy physical and mental lifestyles, permeates the school."

The curriculum is also praised as balanced, broad and highly effective in developing students’ knowledge, understanding and skills and for the wide range of choice for older students.

In terms of progress made since the last inspection, TMS achieved six improvements in ratings in the 2022-23 inspection - all of them to Outstanding from Very Good.  In fact, overall, of the 81 ratings awarded by the inspection team, 49 ratings are Outstanding, including all those for Students' Personal and Social Development, and Innovation Skills, for the Curriculum, for The Protection, Care, Guidance and Support of Students, and for three of the five criteria under Leadership and Management.

As far as the strengths of the school are concerned, the DSIB inspection team evaluated these as:

• Outstanding provision and outcomes in KG
• The personal and social development of students across the school and the focus on their wellbeing
• The skilfully designed curriculum and the broad range of curricular choices
• The excellent practices and procedures to ensure that the whole school community is safe and very well supported
• The commendable partnerships with parents and the community.

As regards areas for improvement, the inspection team advised that TMS should:

• Raise progress further across all subjects by ensuring that lessons are more successful in meeting the learning needs of all students.
• Improve the use of assessment information to track even more comprehensively the progress of all students and support personalised teaching and learning.
• Ensure that all class and subject teachers are provided with a clear, detailed learning plan for all identified students of determination to enable them to achieve their full potential. 

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.

The Buzz

WhichSchoolAdvisor has received very limited feedback to our school survey - insufficient to be able to provide analysis, in fact.

If you are a parent, teacher or senior student at The Millennium School, please share your thoughts and opinions with potential members of your community and complete our Survey.

However, it is very clear from the KHDA report and the inspectors' comments with regard to the relationships with parents and the community, that this is another strength of the school. 

In place of parents', teachers' and students' feedback on the school through pre-inspection survey responses, a new performance standard for the quality of wellbeing provision and outcome has been added to the inspection.  In the case of TMS, this standard is Very High.

According to the inspectors:

• The school has a clear direction and vision which is focused on building a collective sense of wellbeing. The practices, policies and plans for wellbeing are evaluated and updated regularly. Leaders operate a systematic programme of self-review which feeds into the school’s wellbeing development plan. The board reviews the school’s actions, holding senior leaders and other staff members to account. The school systematically collects, analyses and uses data to monitor and refine its whole-school approach. The day-to-day school routines and activities are successfully planned to promote whole-school and individual wellbeing. 
• The school is proactive in identifying and addressing students’ wellbeing needs to enable access to support. Teaching and other staff monitor the wellbeing of students in their classes and provide guidance and advice. It provides individualised care and guidance for students and parents. Individual counselling and group sessions such as study skills delivered by experts from the counselling team provide significant support to students. School leaders prioritise the wellbeing of members of staff and are successful in engaging all stakeholders in a wide range of wellbeing matters. 
• Each aspect of the school curriculum has been designed keeping the student wellbeing in the centre. The Mental Toughness Program that develops social and emotional skills is built into the curriculum. Students carefully consider their own and others’ health and safety, initiating changes where possible. Internal and external information, including stakeholders’ surveys, show that students consistently report feeling safe, valued, and engaged in school life. During the school day, students’ positive attributes, through their engagement and motivation, become embedded features of their learning and wellbeing. 

It is very evident that wellbeing is a fundamental focus of TMS and it would appear the school is highly successful in embedding this within the day to day life of students.

Our View

The fact that GEMS opened a sister school - GEMS New Millennium School (NMS) in 2013 - as  a result of the obvious demand for TMS is in itself an indication of the strength of the original school.  In fact, the newer school, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, is also highly regarded by the KHDA and similarly rated Very Good.   

Both schools clearly meet the needs of students and their families.  TMS is also exceptionally good value for a school of its reputation.  We suspect that obtaining places will be something of a challenge, but for those families who do, they can expect to be more than satisfied with their choice.

What about the Fees? 

Tuition fees for the school range from 16,555 AED per annum for KG1 to 24,345 AED per annum for Grade 12. The Millennium School is inevitably full, and with a long waiting lists in all grades. That clearly gives it limited opportunity for further growth in new student numbers.

This school is in a Best School by parents ranking

The 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:

• #145 in Best Schools in the UAE
• #16 in Best Indian Schools in Dubai
• #14 in Best CBSE Schools in Dubai
• #94 in Best Schools in Dubai

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