Dubai College
Encyclopedia
Dubai College is a British system independent school
in the Al Sufouh
area of Dubai
, United Arab Emirates
, established in 1978. It is a secondary school
for 11-16 year olds with a sixth form for 16-18 year old. Students prepare for the British GCSE and A level examinations. It is a non-profit organisation, and is administered by a board of governors,who control all matters of academic and financial policy. The Good Schools Guide International reviewed the school as "Well established with good reputation locally."
(KHDA) is an educational quality assurance authority based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It undertakes early learning, school and higher learning institution management and rates them as well.
A summary of the inspection ratings for Dubai College.
A summary of all the schools in Dubai's ratings can be found at KHDA School Ratings.
issued by the late Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum
.
Before the school moved to its current location, it was housed in two small villa
s near Safa Park
. Dubai College started its first year with five teachers and twenty two pupils.
The Board of Governors set up a debenture system and arranged bank loans to fund a permanent building for the school. The contracted architectural firm was Brewer, Smith and Brewer.
In 1979, the first school building, now dubbed A Block, was constructed near the Chicago Beach Hotel
.
examinations.
In 2009, Dubai College students received a 100% pass rate in the British Curriculum Advanced (GCE) level examinations. 99 candidates sat for 300 subject examinations with 70% achieving an A grade pass, in comparison to the UK
average of 26.7%.
90% of students from Dubai College in 2009 gained admission to their first choice university
, which included Princeton
, Oxford, Cambridge, Columbia
, and Cornell
.
, Dubai College is a popular choice. It receives about 450 applicants a year for only 120 spaces. It has approximately 700 students and more than 70 members of staff.
and cricket nets
as well as astroturf tennis courts and netball courts. There are also 3 Design and Technology workshops, a Music Centre with a recording studio
, and a specialised Art department. The school has 5 computer suites, with internet access.
A new 950-seat auditorium
began construction in 2007, and was opened in 2009. A Wi-Fi
network was implemented into the Sixth Form centre in 2010.
scheme, and F1 in Schools
.
are invited, and all the proceeds go to charity. Regular participants include the English College
, Doha College
, and Jumeirah College
.
Dubai College also participates in the Gulf Under 18 Men section of the Dubai Sevens
, and in an annual tour of Hong Kong
preceding the Hong Kong Sevens
.
competition. Out of four Dubai College representative teams, Team Impulse won the UAE National Finals, and went on to represent the United Arab Emirates
in the International Finals in Singapore
. They won the Outstanding sportsmanship award.
In the 2011 F1 in Schools UAE National Championships, two teams from Dubai College were entered, Team RedShift and Revolution Racing. Revolution Racing came 2nd overall, which means they will collaborate with a Malaysian team and compete in the world finals. Team RedShift won the Best Verbal Presentation award, as well as being named the 2011 F1 in Schools UAE National Champions. They will now represent Dubai College, as well as the UAE at the world finals due to be held in Malaysia in September.
. They have also been scorers at the Dubai World Championship
, the flagship event of the Race to Dubai.
(KHDA), who separated schools into one of four categories; Outstanding, Good, Acceptable and Unsatisfactory. The assessments sparked significant controversy, partly because of the decision to link tuition increases to the results of the inspections.
Outstanding schools were allowed fee increases by 15%, Good schools by 12%, Acceptable schools by 10%, and Unsatisfactory schools by 7%, diverging from the previous uniform allowance of an 8% increase each year.
The then headmaster of Dubai College, Dr. Carlo Ferrario, subsequently announced his resignation, citing government interference in the school’s operations as the chief reason.
In a letter sent to parents of students, Ferrario was critical of the school inspections launched in the previous year, and said he would depart at the end of the academic year because of significant changes in the “educational landscape”.
“Over the past two years this has changed markedly, with the level of intervention from external agencies ... reaching levels that, in my view, compromise [the school’s] independence,” Ferrario said in the letter. “While school inspection is important and I applaud it, I believe the system of inspection that has been adopted in Dubai presents more disadvantages than benefits for schools like Dubai College,” he said. “It is not a regime with which I feel able to work.”
Dubai College was given a result of Good, the second highest rating, in both the 2009 and 2010 inspections.
Ralph Tabberer, the chief of schools at Global Education Management Systems, said of Ferrario; “Carlo Ferrario is an outstanding educator, so we need to take notice of his comments on inspections. They are supposed to drive out the weak, not the strong”.
The owner of GEMS, Sunny Varkey, has also been critical of the inspections.
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
in the Al Sufouh
Al Sufouh
Al Sufouh is a locality in Dubai, United Arab Emirates . Located in western Dubai, Al Sufouh contains many new real estate developments and is home to several free economic clusters such as Dubai Knowledge Village and Dubai Internet City...
area of Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
, United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
, established in 1978. It is a secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
for 11-16 year olds with a sixth form for 16-18 year old. Students prepare for the British GCSE and A level examinations. It is a non-profit organisation, and is administered by a board of governors,who control all matters of academic and financial policy. The Good Schools Guide International reviewed the school as "Well established with good reputation locally."
KHDA Inspection Report
The Knowledge and Human Development AuthorityKnowledge and Human Development Authority
The Knowledge and Human Development Authority is an educational quality assurance authority in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It undertakes early learning, school and higher learning institution management....
(KHDA) is an educational quality assurance authority based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It undertakes early learning, school and higher learning institution management and rates them as well.
A summary of the inspection ratings for Dubai College.
| School Name | 2010-2011 | 2009-2010 | 2008-2009 | Curriculum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai College | Outstanding | Good | Good | UK |
A summary of all the schools in Dubai's ratings can be found at KHDA School Ratings.
History
Dubai College was founded in 1978 under an Amiri decreeAmiri decree
The decree of an Emir or his representatives , generally in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.See for example:# Amiri Decree Law No. 13 of 1984 , establishing a High Counsel for Labour Services1...
issued by the late Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum
Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum
HH The Emir Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum was the Vice-President and Prime Minister of United Arab Emirates and Emir of Dubai...
.
Before the school moved to its current location, it was housed in two small villa
Villa
A villa was originally an ancient Roman upper-class country house. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the fall of the Roman Republic, villas became small farming compounds, which were increasingly fortified in Late Antiquity,...
s near Safa Park
Safa Park
Safa Park is a 64 hectare urban park located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is 10.53 km southwest of the traditional center of Dubai along Sheikh Zayed Road. The park is bordered by Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Wasl Road, Al Hadiqa Street, and 55th Street.Created in 1975, Safa Park was...
. Dubai College started its first year with five teachers and twenty two pupils.
The Board of Governors set up a debenture system and arranged bank loans to fund a permanent building for the school. The contracted architectural firm was Brewer, Smith and Brewer.
In 1979, the first school building, now dubbed A Block, was constructed near the Chicago Beach Hotel
Jumeirah Beach Hotel
Jumeirah Beach Hotel is a hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The hotel, which opened in 1997, is operated by the Dubai-based hotelier Jumeirah. The hotel contains 598 rooms and suites and 19 villas. This wave-shaped hotel complements the sail-shaped Burj Al Arab, which is adjacent to the...
.
Academics
Regarded as one of the best schools in Dubai, and amongst the top recognised British curriculum schools in the world, Dubai College has consistently produced strong academic results, with students scoring exceptionally well in both GCSE and GCE Advanced LevelGCE Advanced Level
The Advanced Level General Certificate of Education, commonly referred to as an A-level, is a qualification offered by education institutions in England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Cameroon, and the Cayman Islands...
examinations.
In 2009, Dubai College students received a 100% pass rate in the British Curriculum Advanced (GCE) level examinations. 99 candidates sat for 300 subject examinations with 70% achieving an A grade pass, in comparison to the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
average of 26.7%.
90% of students from Dubai College in 2009 gained admission to their first choice university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
, which included Princeton
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, Oxford, Cambridge, Columbia
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, and Cornell
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
.
Enrolment
With a predominant reputation in the United Arab EmiratesUnited Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
, Dubai College is a popular choice. It receives about 450 applicants a year for only 120 spaces. It has approximately 700 students and more than 70 members of staff.
Campus
The campus of Dubai College offers many facilities such as a large sports field with rugby pitches, football pitches, a cricket pitchCricket pitch
In the game of cricket, the cricket pitch consists of the central strip of the cricket field between the wickets - 1 chain or 22 yards long and 10 feet wide. The surface is very flat and normally covered with extremely short grass though this grass is soon removed by wear at the ends of the...
and cricket nets
Cricket nets
Cricket nets are practice nets used by batsmen and bowlers to warm up and/or improve their cricketing techniques. Cricket nets consist of a cricket pitch which is enclosed by cricket nets on either side, to the rear and optionally the roof. The bowling end of the net is left open...
as well as astroturf tennis courts and netball courts. There are also 3 Design and Technology workshops, a Music Centre with a recording studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
, and a specialised Art department. The school has 5 computer suites, with internet access.
A new 950-seat auditorium
Auditorium
An auditorium is a room built to enable an audience to hear and watch performances at venues such as theatres. For movie theaters, the number of auditoriums is expressed as the number of screens.- Etymology :...
began construction in 2007, and was opened in 2009. A Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
network was implemented into the Sixth Form centre in 2010.
Extracurricular activities
Significant extracurricular activities participated in by Dubai College include the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, the Young EnterpriseYoung Enterprise
Young Enterprise is a not-for-profit business and enterprise education charity in the United Kingdom. It is made up of 12 regional organisations, each operating individually under a license agreement...
scheme, and F1 in Schools
F1 In Schools
F1 in Schools is an international competition for school children , in which groups of 3 - 6 children have to design and manufacture a miniature "car" out of balsa wood using CAD/CAM design tools. The cars are powered by CO2 cartridges and are attached to a track by a thin wire...
.
Rugby
Dubai College annually hosts the Dubai College Rugby 7's, and the Dubai College Rugby 10's tournaments. School teams from all over the United Arab Emirates and from the Persian GulfPersian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
are invited, and all the proceeds go to charity. Regular participants include the English College
English College Dubai
Built in 1992, the English College Dubai is a mixed/coeducational school in Dubai that follows the British Curriculum. The College is located on Sheikh Zayed Road, opposite the new Oasis Centre. The school currently has approximately 700 students in the secondary school and around 300 students in...
, Doha College
Doha College
Doha College is a school located in Doha, Qatar. Doha College was founded in the 1980's and originally taught only British nationals. It has a student body of over a 1200 people from over 50 different nationalities. Doha College's current motto is Excellence for all, Excellence from all.The...
, and Jumeirah College
Jumeirah College
Jumeirah College is a GEMS international school in the Jumeirah area of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, offering the Curriculum for England and Wales. It was established in 1999. It is a secondary school for 11-16 year olds with a sixth form for 16-18 year olds. Students prepare for the British...
.
Dubai College also participates in the Gulf Under 18 Men section of the Dubai Sevens
Dubai Sevens
The Dubai Sevens is an annual rugby union sevens tournament held in Dubai, UAE. Through the 2007 edition, it was held at the Dubai Exiles Rugby Ground, but in 2008 it moved to The Sevens, a new stadium built to host the 2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens. The 2009 competition took place between 3-5...
, and in an annual tour of Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
preceding the Hong Kong Sevens
Hong Kong Sevens
The Hong Kong Sevens is considered the premier tournament on the IRB Sevens World Series in rugby sevens—a variant of rugby union....
.
F1 in Schools
In 2010 Dubai College participated in the F1 in SchoolsF1 In Schools
F1 in Schools is an international competition for school children , in which groups of 3 - 6 children have to design and manufacture a miniature "car" out of balsa wood using CAD/CAM design tools. The cars are powered by CO2 cartridges and are attached to a track by a thin wire...
competition. Out of four Dubai College representative teams, Team Impulse won the UAE National Finals, and went on to represent the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
in the International Finals in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. They won the Outstanding sportsmanship award.
In the 2011 F1 in Schools UAE National Championships, two teams from Dubai College were entered, Team RedShift and Revolution Racing. Revolution Racing came 2nd overall, which means they will collaborate with a Malaysian team and compete in the world finals. Team RedShift won the Best Verbal Presentation award, as well as being named the 2011 F1 in Schools UAE National Champions. They will now represent Dubai College, as well as the UAE at the world finals due to be held in Malaysia in September.
Golf
Students from Dubai College annually create a workforce of over 100 people to perform scoring duties at the Dubai Desert ClassicDubai Desert Classic
The Dubai Desert Classic is an annual professional golf tournament which takes place in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. It has been part of the European Tour schedule since its inauguration in 1989, and was the first European Tour event to be staged in the Middle East...
. They have also been scorers at the Dubai World Championship
Dubai World Championship
The Dubai World Championship is a golf tournament on the European Tour that was held for the first time from 19–22 November 2009 on the Earth course at the Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai, United Arab Emirates....
, the flagship event of the Race to Dubai.
Resignation of the headmaster
In 2009, schools in Dubai were subject to inspection by the Knowledge and Human Development AuthorityKnowledge and Human Development Authority
The Knowledge and Human Development Authority is an educational quality assurance authority in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It undertakes early learning, school and higher learning institution management....
(KHDA), who separated schools into one of four categories; Outstanding, Good, Acceptable and Unsatisfactory. The assessments sparked significant controversy, partly because of the decision to link tuition increases to the results of the inspections.
Outstanding schools were allowed fee increases by 15%, Good schools by 12%, Acceptable schools by 10%, and Unsatisfactory schools by 7%, diverging from the previous uniform allowance of an 8% increase each year.
The then headmaster of Dubai College, Dr. Carlo Ferrario, subsequently announced his resignation, citing government interference in the school’s operations as the chief reason.
In a letter sent to parents of students, Ferrario was critical of the school inspections launched in the previous year, and said he would depart at the end of the academic year because of significant changes in the “educational landscape”.
“Over the past two years this has changed markedly, with the level of intervention from external agencies ... reaching levels that, in my view, compromise [the school’s] independence,” Ferrario said in the letter. “While school inspection is important and I applaud it, I believe the system of inspection that has been adopted in Dubai presents more disadvantages than benefits for schools like Dubai College,” he said. “It is not a regime with which I feel able to work.”
Dubai College was given a result of Good, the second highest rating, in both the 2009 and 2010 inspections.
Ralph Tabberer, the chief of schools at Global Education Management Systems, said of Ferrario; “Carlo Ferrario is an outstanding educator, so we need to take notice of his comments on inspections. They are supposed to drive out the weak, not the strong”.
The owner of GEMS, Sunny Varkey, has also been critical of the inspections.
External links
- Dubai College - school website
- The Red Brick - student and alumni website
- Schools in Dubai - comprehensive list of private schools in Dubai and the UAE